Code Geass: Exorcising Demons
by EisKrahe-SturmKrahe
Summary: After peace returns to the world Kallen still wonders about her new life now that she is back in school. Unbeknownst to her, two men are about to set off to find her and return to her what she's lost. Kallen x Lelouch; *Resumed*
1. Over the Hills and Far Away

****I DO NOT OWN CODE GEASS OR ANY OF THE RIGHTS TO IT'S CHARACTERS!****

****This scene starts Two Months after the official end of the anime and this is mostly to canon but not entirely. . . I hope you enjoy the story****  
****There are a few OCs but only one who is major character and that OC is just for plot purpose, just a heads up****

***Pre-story AN: To my British readers I am sorry if I butcher your version of English and to my American readers it won't be proper american english either. I have an odd writing style that mixes southern and british english. Please, if you are going to Review, Review on the story and it's plot not it's english. Thanks guys and I just wanted to give you a heads up. Enjoy!***

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**CHAPTER ONE:** Over the Hills and Far Away

A red and white key sat silent on its resting place, waiting for its master to claim it once more. It cherished the way her crimson locks would angle and flare out when she threw the key around her neck. Only this key witnessed how his death had weighed on her soul. Kallen still spoke to him when she had a tough day; a coping mechanism that assisted with her return to society. Every morning she would get out of bed, take her key and pause in front of his picture. _Hey, Lelouch. . ._ would always slip through her mind; her feelings for him had grown since he left her life, for it was only in that absence that she realized how much he truly meant to her.

The key had known all along; after all, it had helped her grow closer to him. He had given it to her so that she could do his will, but she now kept it only to serve as a reminder of his presence, considering she never seemed to return to her Guren. Kallen rarely had a thought about the past without having him interrupt and it often both cheered her up and pulled her back down. He always did that in her mind and even in death, it seemed he could never stop being the Lelouch she remembered.

Today Kallen would have to run to school, without her normal pep talk with him. She had dreamed about him again last night, about that kiss, the one before he broke her heart once more. Ignoring the alarm is easy when one re-lives their fondest memory. She ran down the streets, the key swaying from side to side on her neck. It enjoyed the breeze and the feel of her heart pounding, as it so rarely did nowadays. Now that he was dead. Her new position at school forced her into being responsible for an upcoming event, and the key hated it. She would have to pilot an obsolete model, but its jealousy remained unnoticed.

Kallen didn't think about the event as much more than a stunt that her previous Student Council President forced her and her friends into. The only reason she'd acquiesced was because of how much he would have enjoyed it, and of course, she now had his position in the Student Council. She really wished he could see this year's. . . Little did she or the key know. . .

* * *

_Many miles away from the streets of Tokyo, her surprise toiled away._

"Why the hell do they keep coming back? Bloody vultures."

The man who'd spoken held a plain rake in one hand as the other shaded his eyes. Hay bales littered the field he stood in, and only his accomplice assisted him in pulling together the last of the freshly cut grass. His sight was fixed on a news-van that loomed on the side of the country road. "I swear, one man thinks he sees the demon, and all the rest come in flocks." spat the taller of the two.

"Vultures are prone to seeking the dead." stated the second farmer. He was the reason they came; it isn't every day you find someone who looked so similar to the one man nobody could ever forget. He had semi-long black hair fluttering mid-way down his neck, blue eyes with the outside rimmed in violet and two scars peeking over the edge of his white shirt that was left unbuttoned most of the way down.

He couldn't really remember much about the war from which he gained the scars, but he remembered little bits and pieces which still made him uncomfortable. His friend, the one he grew up with, or so he was told, was there by his side when he woke from his coma. They said it was shrapnel from an exploding Knightmare frame that made him almost bleed out. He remembered a large black and gold Knightmare frame falling towards him, and the sounds of explosions around him, but that is all he could remember about how he got hurt. He really wasn't cut out for working in the fields, at least not this soon after coming out of a coma he thought sourly.

"Luke, you sure you're alright? I think you should rest, ne?" called his 'overseer'. He was tall with short brown hair, green eyes, a lightly stubbled cheek; a white undershirt was the only thing he wore that differed from what Luke was wearing. Luke glanced at the half field he has helped clear this afternoon. He could only do half. _Damn that man, I could do so much more if I wasn't still in pain,_ pinged through his brain, but remained unsaid. _Why did Lucire have to be so good at farming?_

"I'm alright Lucire, but I'm gonna go inside soon." he breathed as he put his head between his knees, no longer caring if he worried his childhood friend. "Just need to sit and rest for a bit." As he closed his eyes, his thoughts went to what he first said when he awoke. He dreamed about it every time he closed his eyes; it was the memory he cared about most. The girl with the red hair… "Where is she?" passed his lips in an unconscious murmur. It was the first thing he had said, as if Lucire would know right away who he was talking about. Perhaps he did, but Lucire had just worn a huge smile on his face when he saw his friend no longer in need of IV's to exist. _But who is she? And what do I mean to her?_ Thoughts flitted though his mind as he slowly traversed the field back to 'his' farm house.

In truth, the house belonged to Lucire's family. Before the war with Britannia, they had lived in a small community called Tomioka, in Hokkaido, just southwest of Mt. Nukkibetsu. They had grown up there, lived there and had left there to join the Black Knights, just before the first attempt to liberate Tokyo. Luke had a skill for strategy and Lucire was pretty good with a gun; together, as they'd always joked (or so Lucire said), they were unstoppable.  
They'd barely made it out with their skins intact, but when they returned home, their families had disappeared; only Lucire's father remained, with a knife buried in his belly and a written note hung on the front door's frame. Luke didn't wanna think about it. It hurt too much, and they took to farming, pretending they didn't fail to save their homeland. Once Zero re-emerged, they returned to the Black Knights, accompanying their escape into the Chinese Federation.  
His parents? He couldn't remember them, or where they lived. . . or their faces. All he knew was he was angry at his parents for betraying him. That was how he felt, and no other way made sense to him but they had.

Luke stopped short of the stairs of the porch as two dogs came racing to meet him, a golden retriever named Hiro and a Black lab they named Zero, in honor of the hero of Japan. Both were no older than three or four years old. He still felt it was odd to call 'his' dog Zero, now that he knew the truth about the 'Demon' Lelouch. He had read his journal, after all. . .

It seemed that after Lelouch was stabbed by Zero, Lucire and several other Black Knights hungry for vengeance had wrecked the Emperor's bedroom, looking for something, anything precious to him… so they could destroy it.. Lucire himself had admitted that's why he was there. But it was in this search for something he could destroy to satisfy his rage over Luke's comatose state that he'd found the journal. He'd torched several pairs of royal robes, and slashed some fancy furnishings before he found the book – nobody else had noticed it. Lucire said he felt compelled to see what twisted thoughts the 'bastard' held in his head, but was stricken with self loathing upon finding out what the emperor had planned for the world with his 'Zero Requiem', and scoured its pages for the truth. Once Luke had regained consciousness, every night Luke and Lucire would read a bit more of the diary that recounted almost every day of the war with the "Holy" Britannian Empire. He closed his eyes in a long, focus-gathering blink as he lowered his head to greet the canines with a smile and pat upon their heads.

Taking off his shoes and tossing them into a wooden open crate Luke stretched, feeling for new aches and pains that he was sure would accompany the dull, throbbing wounds on his chest. His eyes lingered on the book that now lay on the chair in which Lucire's fathers body had rested on when they returned from Tokyo. It resided there as if it could absorb the horrid truth of what the war had done to their families. _It IS black_, Luke thought as he strolled to that defiled seat neither he or Lucire could throw out, _it's almost as if it could absorb all the darkness from this place with the truth_. The thought was cut off by the sound of the dogs whining to be let into the house. Luke didn't care too much for pets, but he knew Lucire would let them in after he finished tying off the last of the grass they had cut just a few hours ago – it was just that he was more interested in his love.

Were they in love? Would she remember him. . . ?

He was sitting now in the chair, with the book weighing heavily in his lap. Was she- He didn't realize the dogs were inside until Hiro's long cold wet tongue stretched over his fingers, shocking him out of his trance. How long had he zoned out? His gaze focused on the clock as it read _3:31_. He had been looking at nothing for over twenty minutes.

"Hey Luke, I got you a water. Are you alright?" Lucire inquired, giving Luke a troubled look. "I talked to the reporters, if that's what's bugging you. They still think you're not really. . . you. It doesn't matter how many times our neighbors tell them otherwise, and say that you've been here all along… They think you're Lelouch, back from the dead." He paused and looked at Luke, still recovering from his stupor. Lucire finished with a smirk. "Or are thinking about your angel?" Lucire mused as he passed Luke with a bottle of water in one hand and a new shirt in the other.

Luke didn't care what the media believed, but they avoided watching television anyway because of their new obsession. Even a member of the Black Knights showed up at their door to check out the reporter's claims that the demon emperor walked the world again. He was a fast talking idiot with auburn-brownish hair, kept up with a red sweat band of sorts. Luke didn't remember him but obviously Lucire did. His name was Tamaki and they had met before, or so Lucire said. He had recruited them over a fancy dinner of sorts before they joined the main group gathering north of Tokyo. It wasn't long after Tamaki arrived that he called his superior, a man he called Ohgi-san, saying he wasn't sure if it was his 'best bud' or not. Apparently the Black knights appealed the UFN with the permission of the newest Empress of the Britannian Empire to exhume the corpse; his body was dug up and its identity verified. Ever since then he's been followed as 'the demon's look-alike'. Luke's thoughts crashed back into him as his friend poked at his true reason for being detached from reality.

Luke glared at Lucire while he placed his hand out, waiting for his roommate to slap the water into his hand. "What do you mean by that exactly?" he hissed. He hated when Lucire did that – he always made random comments while Luke processed his thoughts. He'd done that the whole time they played chess yesterday; it was the first time he had lost to Lucire, ever. _Asshole,_ he cursed internally. It was the first time ever, or so Lucire said, and he'd celebrated his achievement as if it was the Liberation of Japan all over again. They'd actually played seventeen times since he'd left his coma, and losing that one time had landed him in the fields. Little bets made their games a little more interesting; however, he never figured he'd actually lose, so the probability he'd have to go out didn't even occur to him. Had he won, Lucire would have told him anything he asked about their past; he'd wanted, and still did want to know more about the girl his mind always wandered to. Thinking about her the whole game must have thrown off his focus. . . it must have.

"You came out of a long coma and the first thing you said 'Where is she?'. You must have been having wonderful dreams if that angel woke you." Lucire jested as he unscrewed the top of the water and placed it lightly in Luke's outstretched hand. "I am sure she is thinking of you too, but when you look like that," he started while emulating Luke's empty gaze, "when you have that face you make when you think about her, you look like a damn fool." Lucire burst into laughter at Luke's murderous look.

"Do you know who she was?" Luke asked staring vaguely at the drink in his hand, "Who she is?" he amended quickly, and fixed his gaze to the book now on his lap. Would this have any answers? he considered skimming it for a mention of her but figured Zero—or Lelouch—knowing this girl would be highly unlikely.

"Well, what does she look like again? You haven't really told me much about her." Lucire shouted as he threw the new shirt over his face and torso. _When did he change?_ Luke thought after glancing over his shoulder "You know it could be someone who was on the Ikagura with you and the other strategy nerds." he commented after fixing his new vestments correctly. _Stupid Knightmare pilot,_ Luke prodded mentally as he smiled at his friend.

"Perhaps you're right," Luke answered as he sighed happily. "She was something else." Lucire raised his eyebrow in question as Luke closed his eyes envisioning her once more. "She had beautiful crimson-hair and steel blue eyes that stared into my soul every time I saw her face. She's fit, beautiful body really and. . ." Luke opened his eyes with a look of dismay on his face. "She could be anyone." he finished with a grimace.

When he turned to see his friend again, he witnessed an abrupt change in Lucire's expression; his face had gone white, and he'd stopped in the middle of lifting his own bottle of water to his mouth. His friend breathed out a single sentence.

"You don't mean Kozuki Kallen, do you?"

* * *

Kallen sat up in her chair in the Student Council Room of Ashford Academy with an incredible urge to sneeze, but she returned to checking off the supplies she needed for the school's next event, ignoring the sensation. . . but the key knew better.

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**Author Notes: First chapter of my first story I have put up on , not the first I posted but first I put on the website, and I feel that went really well! Hello everyone my name is Eis and I'm happy to see you found your way to my story! Just so you guys know I have written several chapters ahead of my first post and I plan on releasing them a chapter a day or so until we are caught up to my latest chapter. Yep, LOTS OF DETAIL! I know but I'm testing the waters and I decided to try it out, not sure if it is going well but I hope you like it. Since I have already finished through chapter Eleven at this point and I plan on polishing off a chapter every few night or at least the nights I don't have class the next morning and I am gonna see how long that takes.**

**I wanna personally thank ****TopearsXXVII**** for helping me a better opening! I wonder if anyone got what I took the idea from to start from the Key's prospective. I mixed Harold's watch from Stranger than Fiction and The Ring from LotR. Yay for references, there's gonna be a lot of them from time to time! xD**

**If you wanna get a hold of me to ask me any questions about my story/stories feel free to PM me. Hope you enjoyed the first chapter!**

**Keep on reading readers and stay classy!**


	2. Beneath the Surface

****DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN CODE GEASS OR ANY OF THE RIGHTS TO IT'S CHARACTERS!****

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**CHAPTER TWO:** Beneath the Surface

"Kozuki Kallen?" Luke hummed finally able to put a name to the woman's face. He thought about her and what he'd read about her in Lelouch's Diary. She guarded Lelouch, protected him and stood by him in every mission. Did she actually know Luke? Feelings washed over him in a dizzying flurry of confusion and heartache. For all he felt for her, he knew so little about her. Even with the confusion he knew they were. . . _right_. He was upset that he knew her in intimate detail from the prospective of another person accounts and not his own. How had they met? How often did they see each other? Was he crazy for wanting to see her again? The war was over; could they share anything outside of the Ikagura? His face twisted in unknown emotion as he felt a hand on his shoulder.

"Hey! Snap out of it." Lucire pleaded, his panicked eyes shot into reality as Luke shook himself from his furious mental debate. "I am sorry if I startled you." Lucire added removing his hand from Luke's bad shoulder.

"No it is alright. I just realized who you were talking about." Luke soothed as he attempted to return his face to a neutral expression. "I guess I have high standards," he joked pausing to take a swig from the cold bottle dripping in his hand, "Captain of Zero's bodyguard." Lucire sighed in relief and gave a sizable grin to Luke. He hadn't noticed Luke's other hand still gripping the arm of the chair with a white-knuckled strength and Luke sighed internally as he summoned a soft smile. Relieved that Lucire regained his normal silly mien, he silently let his eyes wonder the room.

The dogs rested on mats near the front entrance to the house eyeing their masters, curiosity peaked by all the excitement. Looking around the room no one would figure two young men lived here. It was very comfortable and clean though only slightly furnished. A brown leather-coated reclining couch and two wooden chairs rested in a semi circle a few meters from a red-wood dresser that clung against the wall opposite to the entry-way. It served as the table for the television which also hid it's bulky weight against the back wall. The living room had only a single painting, it was of Mount Nukkibetsu, and a several pictures of their past life which hung sadly like an alter in a corner of the room. Luke never wanted to admit it but the emptiness made him feel better about not knowing what had happened in his childhood. _Not remembering,_ he thought calmly as he viewed the sliding door to the kitchen that remained open from when Lucire got them waters. The island counter stood in view through the doorway and it held several vegetables which he assumed were going to be used for salads. The daylight's glow faded more and more with each passing minute and before he even looked back from the kitchen his stomach audibly growled it's desires.

"Ahhhh," Lucire growled in an overly husky voice which fit his exuberant smile, "You're hungry? Good!" Lucire placed his hand and out to Luke's empty hand gesturing to let him help his friend stand up. After a quick tug, and a new shooting pain in his chest which he mentally cursed at, Luke staggered his way to one of the tall stools that sat around the island counter. Sitting on the one closest to the living room he looked out the window to the bales of hay that occupied his field of vision into the world, they reminded him of boats on the ocean; they just loomed there trying to remain together without being too close. The idea reminded him of an action zero had taken to save the Ikagura from the Britannian navy back when it was still a submarine. . . _Kallen had convinced him to come back,_ Luke mused as he thought of what Lelouch had written about the whole ordeal. his gaze returned to the counter as a bowl of green leafy vegetables, sliced turnips, horseradishes and carrots landed in front of him with a small clatter. "So," Lucire mumbled as he grabbed a bowl of other fixings, "do you want feta cheese on your salad? I also have lemon and cracked pepper if you'd like." Luke smiled wistfully at his previous thoughts and snagged the feta cheese out of Lucire's hand before it noisily landed upon the black and gray granite counter-top.

"You don't suppose we could visit Kallen do you?" Luke asked absently as he drizzled tiny chunks of cheese onto his salad. Lucire's eyes shot up from his own meal as he blinked over the comment.

"Uh," Lucire drawled face contorted in thought, "I suppose." Luke waited patiently for more input only to realize none more seemed forth-coming. His eyes fixated on Lucire until he looked back at him. "You are being serious aren't you?" He continued with a deep exhalation. "I don't mind you going to see your 'Girl-friend'" he stated and it pissed Luke off how he emphasized the words _girl friend_, "but you seriously want to go to Tokyo? The reporters and journalists will eat you alive..." he finished with a chomp as he took a bite of his salad.

"That is what you are worried about, I thought you use to be a Knightmare pilot." Luke mocked as he followed suit and started devouring his salad. _I am a lot hungrier than I thought,_ Luke berated himself for not noticing sooner. Lucire scoffed loudly and dropped his fork to make an exasperated gesture with his hands. The dogs padded their way into the kitchen after hearing utensils clinking on their masters plates. "I am serious though," Luke amended as his eyes met Lucire's "We finished the field, well most of it, and you said we needed to celebrate once I got better. Why not go to Tokyo? We can have a good time and I can see her again." Lucire's face showed emotion but it wasn't the reaction Luke expected from the former soldier.

"I meant we'd go visit Rika and her brother down the road for some drinks." Lucire said dryly. "I didn't think you'd suggest anything like that." Lucire strolled to the large two door gray refrigerator and retrieved two beers from a hanging rack inside. He handed Luke a Sapporo and opened his own beer - a Stella Artois, with the edge of a can-opener. "Jesus," he swore before bringing the beer to his lips, "You're a bastard you know that?" Luke smiled seeing Lucire give in. He was better at this than Lucire was and he marveled at the thought of seeing her again.

"Kallen. . ." Luke mouth at the thought. Before he had realized it he had finished his salad and Lucire breathed a sigh of fulfillment and slammed the empty bottle of beer on the counter. "When do you think we can go?" Luke inquired trying to hide his growing excitement. Lucire smiled and grabbed a bowl of noodles from the stove hidden in the corner and placed it in front of Luke. It was peanut butter-noodles, a dish Luke first thought sounded awful but after Lucire assured him it was an old favorite of his he tried it and realized he was on to something with the entree.

"A man of many thoughts," Lucire poked as he turned to the stove and checked the knobs to ensure the gas wasn't leaking out, "If you'd like we can go tomorrow, I just need to make sure someone can watch the dogs." Lucire left the room laughing and making babying comments to the dogs who followed him into the living room. He'd probably feed them and make a call if he was serious about what he just said. With a warm smile, Luke grabbed a pair of chopsticks from the drawer and skillfully grabbed a bite full of Noodles.

* * *

Kallen visited the 'official bar' of the Black Knights. She had promised Tamaki that she'd visit but she was really there to see Ohgi. Ohgi stood in for her as a brother figure after her own had passed away. That of course was before she met Zero. Ohgi retained the title of First Prime Minister of the new United States of Japan and he kept telling her about the events. How he'd be hosting Zero again soon for example. _That Zero is not my Zero. . ._ Kallen remarked in her mind as she made her way to the bar weaving past empty tables and unoccupied chairs.

Ohgi sat in one of the bar stools waiting with a smile and a glass of some amber liquid. Tamaki jostled around on his side of the bar as he tried to mix a drink for a pair of guys who wore their red headbands proudly and boisterously made fun of Tamaki's efforts. Other than them it was pretty quiet. Kallen didn't think much of the bar but was happy it was doing well. Kallen strolled her way next to Ohgi and patted his knee in lieu of a hug. Kallen greeted everyone at the bar and sat as they returned the hails.

"Kallen. I know I said I'd make it but the fact of the matter is Zero is arriving tomorrow morning." Ohgi explained trying to excuse himself from his previous promise to her. Kallen shot a furious glare, _this is the first time I am getting into a Knightmare since the negotiations and he's going to miss it for him?!_

"That's fine Ohgi." Kallen lied turning to see Tamaki drop a metal mixing canister. Curses shot across the bar as he scrambled to pick it up before his concoction spilled all around his feet. "I really wanted someone to be there to watch me work, but what you are doing is pretty important too."

"Sorry again Kallen. I know you will do outstanding." Ohgi voiced over the panic Tamaki had caused. "I am sure I will hear about it on the news, it is an Ashford Academy event. They always make the news." Ohgi joked as Kallen turned towards the door and snatched up her bag. She didn't really have time to sit around and this news didn't compel her to stay any longer than she really needed to.

"Yeah. Milly is gonna be there this time around." Kallen offered over her shoulder as she headed out of the establishment. She was tired, a day of planning, calling Milly and the former president's previous contacts had exhausted her. She really wanted to get to sleep because tomorrow would be the big day. She also wanted to apologize to Lelouch for not touching base with him that morning, at least she would get her chance tonight before she drifted to meet her in her dreams.

"Hey Kallen! Make sure you call me when you get done with that! Chigusa and I wanna have dinner with you when ya get the chance. We wanna talk to you." Ohgi shouted as she pushed herself into the doorway.

"Sure! Give her my love." She offered as she waved goodbye. She heard Tamaki yell something out to her but it was too late, she had already placed her mind on tomorrow's festivities as she prepared for the hectic schedule. The streets were always busy with cars this late in the evening but very few people walked down this particular street. Making her way home at a relaxed pace she found she was actually looking forward to tomorrow. She didn't know why but she felt like some good could come out of the spectacle.

She walked through her door and called, "I'm Home!" She kicked off her shoes and walked to the kitchen to kiss her mother's cheek. The small apartment was all she could afford when she decided to leave her father's graces. It was tiny in comparison to her father's lavish manor but she thought Lelouch would approve of her living her own life after what he gave for her. She smiled remembering what she promised herself. _Hey Lelouch. . ._

* * *

He thought he wouldn't be able to sleep but it was a lot easier than he expected. Even though his excitement was palpable he was so tired from the day in the field he almost collapsed onto his futon. His dreams swam around Kallen as they always did but these dreams felt different than normal. It was almost as if finding out her name had helped him remember more about the times he spent with her. . .

He was behind her, standing on a flight of stairs. She was wearing a black knight uniform and in his mind it made her look all the more gorgeous. She was gazing at him expectantly before she surged forward and kissed him. It felt so real and he felt heartbroken because he felt like he couldn't say what he wanted to. She pulled away and as she was looking into his eyes. He felt her love in his soul but before he could kiss her back he awoke to the sound of zero scratching at his door, trying to get inside. His dog zero, not the demon emperor... He thought about what it would be like if he was woken by the demon emperor scratching at the door with a lethargic sounding laugh as he stretched and kicked his feet off the futon. _I can't believe this dog woke me from a dream like that. . . was it even a dream to begin with, or was it-_ echoed through his mind as he reached his door. Upon sliding it open he meet eyes with a short blonde girl who had to be in her middle teens. He backed up with a start as zero passed between his master's legs and panted his excitement towards having the visitor here.

"Rika?" He blirted out in surprise, "What are you doing here?" Rika was their neighbor and she was a friend of Lucire's; he would say a friend of his if he could remember ever being friends with the polite spaz.

"O-HAI-O!" Rika beamed as she twirled a yellow ribbon dangling from her dress with her finger, it was her favorite dress and every time Luke had seen her she was wearing it. _Perhaps because she has a crush on me,_ he internally jested. "Sorry if I startled you but Lus told me to come get you, I'm watching over your house for the weekend!" Rika chimed musically. "Dai is gonna watch over the dogs for you guys and finish the field work, isn't that fantastic, ne?" Luke thought about that and smiled, Dai was her nickname for her brother Daisuke and Lus was her nickname for Lucire. She hadn't ever given him one to which he was happy about. He concluded it was another reason to believe she had a crush on him. "Hey, Luke. . . where does Lus keep all of his embarrassing secrets?" She giggled as she pondered. "It'll be fun to get some dirt on him while you guys are away."

"Check the bath house." He lied with a wicked grin forming on his lips. He didn't realize Lucire would be ready to go so soon and Luke rubbed his shoulder as he turned to his one small two-drawer black dresser sitting in the middle of one of the walls. He hadn't packed yet, he didn't realize he fell asleep so quickly. "Hey Rika, what time is it anyway?"

"Ohhhhh. . ." Rika drawled looking to the ceiling as if it would help her remember. "A little past One O'Clock I think. You were out like a lamp." She sung as she leaned out of his room with a hand on the sliding door which was keeping her balanced. _One?!_ Luke chastised himself as he grabbed a large black duffel-bag and tossed a few pairs of shorts and undergarments into it. _Lord, Lucire didn't plan this quickly I was sleeping the day away!_ he continued his mental tie-raid. "Ohhhhhh, I like that dress shirt, you should wear that and your leather jacket." Rika said as Luke grabbed a shirt she had gotten him for Christmas a few years ago. It really did look good on him he admitted to himself as he tried to figure out what Kallen might like the most. "Model it and I will tell you if it looks good on you!" She sweetly called as she smiled like the cat that ate the canary.

"No time." Luke called out to her throwing the few nice shirts he had into the bag and sliding at a 'full sprint' through the open doorway despite her protests. His body complained via sore aches and a throbbing headache but he ignored it. He slipped down the hallway as he slid to a halt at the door to the living room, _I never really got use to these sliding doors_ - only the front door had a 'normal' door with a knob. Slipping it open and shut behind him, he trotted his way to the foyer and slipped his shoes on and stomped them into the correct position. The sounds echoed throughout the house and Hiro stretched his hind legs backward while wagging his tail and added a little doggy huff of a yawn as he watched one of his masters getting ready to leave. Luke gave Hiro a delighted smile and he threw his bag over his shoulder to escaped out the front door.

He didn't need much time to locate Lucire, as he often noticed if Rika found her way to him by herself then Lucire had busied himself by chatting with Daisuke. Lucire hung over the passenger side window of Daisuke's truck as their voices rose and fell in pleasant conversation. "Ohayou Luke" called Daisuke, he raised his hand in greeting as he spotted him. He had the same facial features as his sister but with a longer face, a light stubble on his chin and long brown hair that rested just past his shoulders. He moved his hand back in the car and straightened his gray shirt that bunched up at his arms and shoulders. "Ditched my sister ne?" He laughed as he finished the statement and moved the gearshift into park. _Why does he and his sister have to say 'ne' all the time? _Luke thought sourly as he stood a stride away from Lucire.

"Yeah a little, I didn't realize I had slept that much. Once I found out how late I was I rushed to get everything together and out here." Luke admitted staring at the old Toyota logo on the front of the Daisuke's truck. Lucire laughed jovially and nodded to Luke.

"Yeah, you were the one excited to get outta town for a few days and you sleep well past the time we should have left." Lucire pointed out with a smirk on his face. He wore a dark gray hoodie-jacket and his one pair of dark blue jeans topped off with his old black leather 'army' boots. _That doesn't stand out much_ Luke mused as he studied Lucire's appearance. "But he is right, I'm sorry Daisuke, we really gotta get going." Lucire reached in his pocket and pulled out a hand full of notes and bills and handed them to Daisuke. "This ought to take care of you guys while we are gone, I'll call before we head back." He told his neighbor with a smile, "just make sure you're sister doesn't feed to dogs to death, they don't know to stop eating."

"And she doesn't know when to stop feeding, I got ya. Have a safe trip guys!" Daisuke called out to them as they turned and headed for Lucire's own truck. They didn't hear what he said when he shouted to his sister but he parked the truck while he yelled to her. Luke smiled and pulled on the handle to the passenger side door, it gave a happy click as it unlatched and he climbed into his seat. Setting his bag in his lap, he watched Lucire threw his bag into the small open space behind his seat and he sighed as he threw the key into the ignition. Luke closed his eyes thinking of what he would say to Kallen when he saw her.

As the Truck roared to life and lurched into motion with a jerk Luke took a quiet breath in and started to fade into unconsciousness once more. Lucire flipped on his self installed CD player and a light relaxing melody wafted over them; Lucire was a sucker for jazz and it only helped to lull Luke into sleep.

_Soon. . ._ he thought sleepily,_ I'll get to see Kallen again. Soon._

* * *

**AN: Hello again everybody! Two chapters down and we get to see a little more humor this chapter. I hope you all enjoy the subtle jokes I throw in there to spite the characters from the show. I like to be very descriptive but I was a bit worried I was going overboard so if anyone could tell me how it feels with the story so far. Also if you hadn't figured it out yet Luke is Lelouch, and Lucire is a OC, don't worry about him though he's only here for a bit of plot and adding a fun little twist to what we all know and love about the odd world of Code Geass.**

**I wanna personally thank ****Magery**** for helping me with this story. He is not only an amazing writer and editor but an outstanding person/friend. Thanks a lot Mag...**

**Everything gets better from here on, The reunion is fast approaching! I can't wait to get it up on the site! See you guys soon with the next chapter. . . Which I am gonna have up tonight anyway but still. . .**

**So Keep on Reading my Friends and Stay Classy!  
(I didn't mean to make an Anchorman quote but I still like it.)**


	3. In the Evening (Part One)

**DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN CODE GEASS OR ANY OF THE RIGHTS TO IT'S CHARACTERS!**

* * *

**CHAPTER THREE:** In the Evening (Part One)

"So, where to first? A bar?" He heard whispered to him from over the pages of _the demon's grimoire_. Luke knew it was Lucire but the fact his hood sat over his head and he concealed his face with a pair of wire framed glasses wore on him. _And now all he needs is a wig, man he is paranoid._ Luke noted to himself. "I hear that Ohgi owns a bar or restaurant of some sort," his disguised friend mentioned as he tried to busy himself with a news paper from two days ago. _He couldn't blend in even if he poked everyone's eyes out first,_ he mentally continued as he bookmarked the page with a red ribbon. _Red, more like her kind of red,_ slipped through his mind as he outright turned to Lucire. "Hmmm?" Lucire hummed as his eyes shifted over the top of the 'International Business' section of the paper. "You know you look stupid with that pizza hut hat on." Lucire said finishing his thought with a neutral air.

"You know, I was thinking something similar about you." Luke added while trying to hide his amusement. "You know what I want to do first, perhaps she can join us for a meal." He said it as a statement more than a request but Lucire just shrugged and flipped the page to a new section - Something about Britannia changing a former factory for Knightmare construction to a factory for creating luxury aircrafts from what little he could see via the picture and bolded segments title. "But honestly Lucire," Luke accused passively, "Why do you need to be incognito as well? You were worried about me being mistaken for a dead man. I don't think you need to worry about yourself."

"Because we were both in the papers and on television." commented Lucire,"don't use my name in public either." Lucire cooed over something in the paper before hap-hazardly folding it up and setting it in his lap. "Sorry, I don't want an idiot getting the wrong idea and cutting this trip short with a night in the hospital." Lucire confessed with a worried look pulling his face tight. Looking into Luke's eyes he drew in a breath and turned to look out of the train's windows across from where he sat.

They rode all the way from the southern tip of Hokkaido to deep inside of Kyushu on this same train and both men swayed with the flow of the train's movement. Tokyo lay only 40 kilometers away now. Luke searched the landscape for something memorable but found little more than the occasional forgettable building that held some kind of purpose or small house surrounded by cars and bicycles. They had their closed section of seating with four comfy red fake velvet covered seats to themselves to spread out over. Earlier in the trip a man had occupied one of the free seats with his young daughter sitting on his lap asking quiet questions about Tokyo and the train with an occasional "Look at that daddy!" to break her shy demeanor. It made Lucire laugh and Luke smile but they had left almost twenty minutes ago to go into the dinning car.

Lucire broke the silence, and Luke's concentration, when he resumed his previous conversation. "Ohgi's bar," He reminded, "It gives one free drink to any Black Knight who stops by." He stretched his legs and swung them onto the vacant seat next to him. "I think that would be an excellent way to start our vacation." Lucire yawned as he slid the news paper over his face to block out the sun's rays that leaked over the top edge of his window. Lucire was letting his guard down, although he rarely liked to admit it Luke valued Lucire's unwavering loyalty and desire to keep him safe. This trip pressured Lucire in ways Luke hadn't realized. After the war he must have become a 'home body' because before it he was known for creating a lot of noise when he journeyed out and about. _I guess somethings are bound to change,_ Luke commentated to himself. He slipped his fingers through the diary again and found it's pages cool and smooth on his finger tips; the ribbon felt similar but with a deliciously pleasing tickling sensation accompanying its smoothness. "Which part are you reading this time?" Lucire interrupted with one eye cracked open at the journal in Luke's hands.

"About the first time Lelouch talked to Kallen. They were in school." Luke paused, searching the page for further explanation. "I hadn't a clue they went to school together. Apparently she had suspected he was Zero but he recorded a message and had someone else call her and play that recording while he was in same the room as her." He paused re-reading the next segment a few time to ensure it was detailing what he thought he had read. Lucire opened both eyes realizing something caught his buddy's attention and he moved his newspaper to his chest as he turned his head to Luke. He waited a few seconds before gesturing for Luke to go on with the story and spit out whatever had caught his attention. Luke gulped slightly embarrassed at the thoughts that drifted into his mind before continuing. "She was in the shower and he was bringing her clothes, it's a long story. It seems that she was so shocked to hear zero on the phone with him in the room that she pulled the phone close and unintentionally exposed herself to him." Luke finished and slid the journal to his knee to regain his full composure.

"Seriously?!" Lucire burst out before chuckling for a considerable amount of time. "Where in the journal is that?" He asked calming from his fit of laughter.

"Near the front. It's the page that starts with Sayoko being geassed." Luke insightfully added. "That's embarrassing, I don't know if I could deal with that."

"What's the matter 'Lucas'" Lucire coughed as he had to change the name last second; he struggled to do so as an attendance passed the door with a bottle of some sort of soda. Quietly he continued after she was well down the corridor of that train-car. "Don't think you could be naked in front of the woman you love?" Lucire was mocking him and it peeved Luke slightly that he could turn this back on him so easily.

"At least I have someone to love." Luke shot back as he picked the book back up and continued to read; the rest of the page described how Kallen was inducted into some student council due to 'being continually absent'. Lucire groaned before placatingly throwing his hand up in defeat and returning the newspaper to his face. _You walked right into that one,_ Luke mused as he finished the page and turned to it's backside. The other council members didn't know about her part in the black knights missions but then again they didn't know that Lelouch founded the terrorist organization either. Luke imagined what that must have been like then dismissed the idea, _school is school,_ he summed up. Then it hit him, something that had been right there all along. "Hey Lucire, Do you think she could still be attending that school?" He questioned, hope high in his hushed voice. Perhaps he could find her without having to chat with the other terrorists-turned-citizens.

"Hmmmm, I am not sure." Lucire stated trying not to bring his friend down with a negative answer. "Could be worth a shot but if we're gonna be somewhere like that you have-" Before he could even finish his line Luke sighed heavily. He knew this conversation, he'd predicted this same show & dance even before he asked his question.

"I will have to be careful. I am more cautious than you give me credit for." Luke interrupted calmly while shooting an annoyed gaze to his friend. Lucire's body didn't even seem to move as he waved his hand at Luke, motioning that he was through with the conversation. Luke rubbed his eyes and lowered his gaze once more onto his ribbon bookmark. The contacts he wore to shield his eyes from the increased light still bugged him, he had forgotten to take them out yesterday and the irritation wore on his ability to stay relaxed. He's had to wear them since he woke on a little over a month ago. When the medics went in to get the the shrapnel out of him they had left a small piece in there and that caused him to get some sort of 'heavy metal toxicity'. It was the reason he was in a coma, Lucire told him after a few days, and it also destroyed some of his cones in his eyes; everything seemed too bright to him without the soothing dark pieces of plastic covering his irises. _I need to change them out tonight,_ Luke lightly added to his last though.

"Wake me when he arrive." was all Lucire said although he was watching Luke adjust his eye protection. Lucire just shimmied deeper into the seat to get more comfortable and fell quiet. Luke gazed at him for a moment before returning to his reading. _Ashford Academy? Hmmmm, I know I have been there before. When was it?_ Luke mind raged to remember, he felt like he could if he focused intently enough. _The UFN meeting with Emperor Lelouch?_ He thought as he touched his lips and a light blush burned his checks. He had remembered his dream and smiled. _That's right, in the ballroom._ He blissfully remembered as a new grin stretched across his face. _Maybe we can continue where we left off_ he joked with himself.

* * *

"How the hell is it that we have both been there but we don't remember how to get back?!" Luke fumed as he and Lucire came to a stop at a corner with a traffic light going in two directions and a stop sign halting the other directions. There was a large wall enclosing a building on their left and to their right stood a few random buildings that began to cast long shadows over the pavement. It was getting later than he wanted and Lucire was getting them more and more lost.

"I swear it has to be close by." Lucire apologized with a wince. He had a great memory but seemed to be bad with direction, Luke's exhaustion from all the extra walking forced his friend to slow his pace. He refused to tell Lucire about this but the scar on his chest was starting to pulsate in spasms and it took all of his will power not to rub it. "The man at the grocery said it was down this way," Lucire repeated, "Ya can't miss it, Loud place with lots of kids." Lucire finished his impression with a wink just as the manager of the store had.

"Well it seems he was god damn wrong!" Luke shouted irritably as Lucire shrunk down and dug into his satchel for a bottle of water that he bought at the same store they got directions at. They had been walking this way for ten minutes, it was slowed by looking around for the entrance to the school and Luke slowed canter. Luke snatched his water and guzzled down a bit before quickening his pace down the sidewalk again. He almost lost his footing when he thought he saw three or more teenagers in familiar looking uniforms lazing around a large cast-iron gate. "Oh thank goodness." He sighed in relief and handed Lucire his water bottle.

Lucire screwed the top back on the water since he was the one to uncapped the drink; he just smiled and shifted it back into his pack as Luke shambled ahead of him. They had left everything behind once they checked into a hotel upon arriving and after dropping off all of their bags and supplies there; all that was left was this one pack. Inside rested the journal, which had done nothing to tell them where the school actually resided much to Luke's chagrin, a few extra articles of clothing in case they were noticed and needed to appear different from when they arrived, the two waters and an energy bar Lucire had purchased to bribe the information out of the attending manager of that store and lastly cash needed for whatever they planned to do once they had finished this 'adventure'.

After a few more steps towards the front entrance several explosions lit the sky with sparkles and smoke. Luke jumped slightly and grabbed his chest before noticing it was fireworks. _Fireworks? at the school? What is going on here?_ Trying to ascertain a reason for the explosives, he sped up his stroll towards the students. With a bit of protest Lucire hurried to catch up, picking to jog in order to come up alongside him. _This is the place alright,_ Luke noted upon reading 'ASHFORD ACADEMY' over the top of the metal archway. A brunette haired girl with a long french-style braid waved to them and called out cheerfully "Hello there! Come on in Pizza lover." Luke stopped mid-stride with a start before realizing he still had his head tucked into a ball cap with the pizza hut logo on it. Laughing at himself, Luke looked down at himself and concluded he looked foolish. So foolish, in his skin tight black shirt, brown leather jacket, Light blue jeans, silly ball cap and a pair of aviator sun glasses. "The school is open to the public today as we try for a fourth time to make the world's largest pizza!" A male student ran to Lucire and started pushing him through the gate amid protests and cries for help. The girl with the braid took Luke's arm and guided him in towards the festivities.

There were several building separated by open fields of grass, condensed trees creating borders for the outermost passages into the schoolyard and other scraps of foliage segmented by beautiful white pavement walkways. Along the center pathway to the school stood seven white archways made of solid marble who's base sat in craved deposits of water. Farther down the path closer to the main building sat a set of stairs guarding several fountains artfully placed to welcome it's visitors; if not to also impress them. The scenery shown beautifully and it turned the school from a normal place of learning to an academy for betterment of one's image as well as one's mental capability. _It looks just the same as I remember it,_ Luke processed looking to the Academy portion of the school noting it had three stories the spread across the center of the plot and separated everything from each other.

"Hey, Pal, stop shoving! Luke," Lucire shouted as his so called guide thrust him past Luke, "I guess the old man was _god damn right_. It's a loud place with lots of kids alright." He finished with a yelp as the student gave him one final shove and he fell down in a not so graceful manner. "Thanks." he growled sarcastically as he pulled himself back up. Placing his hand out in order help his friend off the grass, Luke finally focused on what this event was actually for. There stood a giant but ancient Knightmare frame tossing a huge pile of pizza dough into the air with both hands gracefully working in tandem. It struck him as odd but now he knew why she commented on his hat right away.

"Pardon me ma'am," He asked politely as young woman let go of his arm with a final squeeze. "Do you happen to know Kozuki Kallen?"

"Kozuki? Yeah," the young girl confirmed after a slight hesitation, "Kallen! I knew her by her Britannian family name though, kinda got confused for a second there." she admitted with a cute laugh that caused him to raise an eyebrow. "She's actually the one piloting our school's Knightmare" She recited almost as if she'd been reading off a card. Luke's eyes shot to the machine that was throwing dough into the air before slamming it on a platform and reaching for a huge container marked 'TOMATOES'. She was here, right there in fact but he couldn't talk to her. _Not now obviously,_ he admitted to himself as he started forming a plan on how to get her alone so they could. . . His brain stopped analyzing as he watched the Knightmare shake the tomatoes thoroughly in awe.

"Thank you ma'am, and we will have fun thanks." called Lucire over his shoulder as he wrapped his arm around Luke's neck and supported him forward. "Look at that. It's almost like the whole school is celebrating your arrival, _Pizza lover_ or should I say. . . Kallen's lover?" Lucire mocked in a sweet sounding falsetto. They were moving into the cheering crowd, it was surprisingly full. A mix of Students, Britannians and Japanese, as well as all sorts of people in outfits of random professions filled it's ranks."Shit," Lucire hissed out and he turned Luke's shoulders towards the stage with a tug. "The T.V. Crews are here too. So much for that."

Luke jerked out of his friends grasp with a concerned yelp of surprise. As he looked over Lucire's shoulder, who placed himself between the camera's view and 'THE Lelouch look-alike', he noticed a woman with long blonde hair, a green and blue sundress on and a microphone in her hand commentating about the progress of the pizza's creation. He could hear her say her name as she ended her report and frozen in realization. That was Milly ASHFORD! Former President of the student council of this school and it's heir. _How odd,_ Luke thought as his worry slowly melded into amusement, _The lady who Lelouch mentioned liked to throw and host random events is coming back to the school after she has passed her mantle now gets to watch someone else succeed where she failed three times._ He smiled lightly at the irony.

"Let's just stay in the crowd and see how this goes." Luke mouthed into Lucire ear as he's words were drowned out by the triumphant cheers of the crowd. The toppings were all in place and all that was left was to sit and wait while the pizza baked. Lucire and Luke both laughed and chatted lightly as the smell of cheese and tomato sauce rose.

* * *

"Hmmmmm, It's not very good." Lucire joked with a laugh as people started to gather towards the entrance of school. He had eaten all of the small piece of pizza he grabbed but still complained as he always did. He did this every time he ate anything when they had eaten outside of the house. Most of the students had took their portion of pizza and crossed the campus grounds back to their dormitories in boisterous cheering groups. Luke tried to ignore him, as well as the excited calls to classmates, as he watched to see where the 'Ganymede' was heading. "I see it too," Lucire commented before Luke spoke, "Show time, aye?" _Aye?_ Luke pondered as raised an eyebrow at the utterance, _I've never heard him use that before, why not just say 'ne' like he always does?_ "Let's go." Lucire instructed as he slipped off his satchel and set it lightly against the stage where the Knightmare performed it's 'historical record shattering task'. Luke nodded and eyed the bag as they both lopped towards the school as the dusk was setting in fully.

What would he say to her? What would she say to him? He didn't know but he needed to come up with something quick. "Let me handle this" Lucire assured him as they followed the wall of the main structure. They seemed out of place but it wasn't like they were gonna kidnap her. . . _Never_ Luke jokingly re-assured himself. They slipped around a corner of the building, Lucire leading the two and Luke shadowing him not far behind. Luke's heart began to race as they inched around the corner to see two shadowy figures talking near the kneeling Ganymede. _One of them is Kallen but who is that other one._ Luke thought breathing long deep breaths trying to remain undetected but able catch his breath.

"Well?" huffed Luke impatiently and Lucire gave him a soft nod.

"Well, let's do this." Lucire whispered calmly and both men took a deep breath as they started towards them.

* * *

**AN: Chapter Three is in the books and I am happy to say we're getting into the best part of the EARLY story. . . This chapter was initially twice this size and after some time working with Magery I realized that it needed to be cut in half; Thus you have a Part One and a Part Two!**

**I wrote this chapters months ago and as I read it all over again I am laughing at how poorly it sounds before it's edited. I hope you guys enjoy it, don't worry I won't keep ya waiting for part two.**

**For those who love music you might have caught onto this already but the chapter names are all songs.  
(This is an homage to Magery for his assistance in editing - His story Breath of Life did the same thing so I figured it's was the least I could do now that he is taking a break from writing.)  
****And I am going back and forth between Led Zeppelin songs and other songs I have listened to while writing my chapters. Chapter 1, 3-4, 6, 8 and every even numbered chapter afterwards should have a LZ song name for a chapter title. If you wanna suggest a song for me to listen to/use as a chapter name, you might get a shout out too!**

**As always. . . Keep on reading you Fan Fiction Fans and Keep it classy!**


	4. In the Evening (Part Two)

**DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN CODE GEASS OR ANY OF THE RIGHTS TO IT'S CHARACTERS!**

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**CHAPTER FOUR:** In The Evening (Part Two)

"What do you think Pres?" Kallen asked a mix of pleased and exhausted, "Finally got it right. Milly must be brimming with pride, that or she's sour that she wasn't a student when we finally did." She only slightly remembered the other times they had tried it but she found herself beyond pleased they'd ask her to be the chef this year. She had only been in a Knightmare frame a few times since all the treaties between Britannia and Japan were signed, each time it was inactive except for today. Though it was rare, she still prided herself on her skills that. . . He had praised her for. The skill that brought them together in a way.

Her hands ran along her black short sleeved shirt and then fell to the sides of her black shorts that were comfortable but not meant to be seen. She rarely dressed in this manner but she knew no one would be able to see her from her place inside the machine so she dressed how she wanted. Kallen arrived early that morning to get everything thing ready for the festivities and she came prepared with her current outfit packed away in a bag with the words "Ashford Academy Athletics" printed on it's side. Now that Kallen co-ran these events for the school she tended to always have a back-up change of cloths so she wouldn't get her school uniform dirty getting into whatever shenanigans her President pushed her into.

The boy with blue hair stood a few steps away and laughed while rubbed his head. "Yeah! Way to go Kallen, Milly must have been smiling like the old days," Rivalz agreed looking lost in thought upon mentioning his former flame's name. He had been named president after she left the school for the real world and the world of television; Rivalz and Kallen were the only students left after she returned from her part in the revolution. Thinking about the old days always hurt but she tried to smile for the other student council members.

Nina disappeared into a Research and Development group in Britannia - she helped develop compounds that extended the longevity of fruit and the containers that helped them travel the world to nations in need of relief. She sent them mail from time to time explaining little changes in her life but normally just saying she would miss whatever event they would invite her to be a part of. Other than that Nunnally was obviously busy leading Britannia to peaceful relations with the scarred world. Milly did news for the Tokyo area and often stopped by to declare the need for a new event. Suzaku had disappeared after their battle; the belief was he was dead but something inside her told her he probably stepped in as the new mascot for Britannia's peaceful intentions. _Zero protected Nunnally and her brother's secret,_ Kallen added solemnly as she sighed out loud. Kallen never got to really see Rolo and of course he, Shirley and. . . Lelouch all fell victim to the plague that was that _'necessary war'_.

_The change was necessary, not the war it's self..._ Kallen raged thinking about her lose but she tried to be happy that things had turned out so well for the world. She still talked to Lelouch every night before bed, perhaps he could hear her from the other side, she liked to think so. It made it much easier to get on with her life and for the first time in a while she was actually happy again. _Making record breaking pizzas with Knightmares can be a lot of fun, who knew?_ Kallen revealed to herself as she gave a closed lips smile to her student council mate.

He turned to his motorcycle as he threw his hand up in fair-well "You can lock that up without me, right Kallen?" He shouted in retreat. _What a dolt,_ Kallen laughed and raised her hand as if she was going to slap him, _that's like him though._ She noticed them before Rivalz did; two talk men approaching from the shadows. Though he realized it after her, Rivalz acted first by raising a hand in warning. "Oh hey, this area is for student council members only." He quoted with a feign confidence. "You could get hurt around this old thing," he added pointing to the Ganymede with his elbow, "I can lead ya to the door if you'd like." Of the two men, one wore a gray hooded-coat on and the other man behind him hunched into a leather jacket and had a pizza company hat snugly fastened to his head. Kallen's hand slipped to her pink pouch, which held a sharp knife hidden away, preparing to protect her and Rivalz just in case they weren't just lost.

"Pardon me guys, I was looking for Kozuki Kallen," The taller man in the hood announced throwing on a smile, "I'm glad I found ya." Kallen backed up a step towards the inactive frame and looked to Rivalz then back to the unknown man. "We use to work for the same company," He uttered looking embarrassed while trying not to look into her eyes, "back during the rebellion." _He was a black knight?_ she wondered sliding her pouch back into her pocket but not so far that it was not in her easy reach. "Kinda fun seeing what the legend does at school, wasn't quite what I expected" The hooded entity admitted, "I haven't even seen a Knightmare since I left." Rivalz slid into his bike, both legs still hanging out of one side, and he hummed a interested noise.

"Got some catching up to do ahh?" Rivalz teased getting situated into his motorcycle's seat, "If you can wait with me for a bit, you can talk to her but we have to put up the Ganymede." He looked to Kallen and winked at her while doing a shewing motion towards her responsibilities. _He either really wants to get out of here or really wants to get on my nerves,_ she concluded grabbing the starter for the schools frame and silently snorted in unspent aggression. _What could this possibly be about?_ With a few quick moments, she hoped into the machine's cockpit and meditated upon their presence. Finding them them chatting lightly, she pushed the old Knightmare into motion.

* * *

Kallen returned to find the first man had removed his hood and now leaned against the wall of the school, admiring and complimenting Rivalz on his ride while The other man was besides him staring intently at his shoes that moved slightly in annoyed aggression. Rivalz was throwing his helm back and forth between his hands and he shouted about how it felt riding it in the brisk fall air. Kallen coughed, more for gaining their attention than any real need to do so, and waved at Rivals as if to confirm everything was secure. She still fought with her inner desire to slap him for making her think she'd have to put the school's most expensive equipment away alone but he gained an actual excuse in watching these two. . . 'colleagues' of hers, she decided as she turned her attention back to her schoolmate. "I'm done Rivalz, you can go visit Milly now if you still want to." She guessed and he jumped a little at being found out.

"He he," Rivalz giggled as he wrapped his legs around the bike and started it up with a slight rumble, "Thanks Kallen, you're the best." He paused before pushing it into motion, "Be careful on your way back home and say hi to your mother for me." _He isn't that bad, just wish he wasn't so lazy,_ Kallen mused as she turned to her guests. The darkness grew more complete with every passing minute and although these were former black knight members she didn't enjoy the idea of standing on the side of the school at night with two men she didn't know. "Before we get to why you're here mind if we go inside?" She suggested giving both men a thorough inspection.

"Sure," The talkative man breathed appreciatively, "but is it alright if we go somewhere where people are unlikely to come along." Kallen eyes stopped and rose to meet his, "I don't like people believing I use to be some sort of 'terrorist', old habits you know." he quickly explained adding a winch as he rubbed his head nervously. She did know but it was odd to hear considering how they were treated in Tokyo by almost everyone; they were the heroes after all. Kallen nodded and started for a side entrance into the school she often used when she wanted to be alone after something reminded her of Lelouch. She would talk out loud to him about those reminders most days. She only did that when she was in her house and in the ballroom. . . _or the roof,_ she reminded herself of just the other day - the newest member of the student council pulled up the pictures of the cross-dressers festival and commented on how cute Lelouch had looked as a woman. It made her laugh out loud but inside she was torn up til she talked to him. Rivalz was in the ballroom preparing for the 'Milly's returned festival' so the roof was the only place left where she could have the peace she needed.

Window after window flitted lights from streetlamps and car outside into Kallen's peripheral vision but she didn't turn to look; her focus was upon this two visitors. Her mind rose and crested in speculation as she led her companions in silence down the hallway to the grand ballroom. After entering empty ballroom they passed a bunch of tables on their way up the stairs and Kallen heard one of the men clear his throat when she reached it's climax. Kallen turned to see that the man with the hat had paused only a few steps up the incline.

This was the first time she actually got a good look at him outside of the shadows due to the ballroom's bright lights. She started to turn towards him when his friend interrupted "Yes I know, it's about time. Hold your horses." His words startled Kallen and she reached for her pouch again, her eyes tightened as a new alarm begun sending adrenalin through her. "Kallen, I am sorry. I came her to help my friend see you again." he informed her as he stepped to the side so she could see his friend directly.

He removed his hat and their eyes met. _NO!_ her mind screamed as blood drained from her face, _Lelouch?_ It was him, she was so sure of it but her lips just quivered as she kept gazing into his face. "Allow me to introduce Luke Lamperouge" slipped from the other man's mouth. _Lamperouge? That is Lelouch right?_ Kallen confirmed as the adrenalin in her found it's way to her legs she moved forward.

"You're alive?" she croaked as she wrapped her arms around him and she leaned herself into him. She felt tears welling up into her eyes. _Am I crazy? This is just crazy. . ._ she told herself as she happily breathed deeply the smell of her lost love. "I thought. . ." She started as he grabbed her back and kissed the top of her head. She lost track of what she wanted to say and just marveled at the feeling of his lips pressing against her head.

"I'm so sorry Kallen, I didn't want you to worry." said her lover in a soft apologetic whisper, "I came out of my coma and I didn't know how to get back to you. I couldn't even remember your name." He hiccuped and her eyes shot to his. _He forgot my name? How,_ echoed in her mind as she viewed the changes in him. The normal violet depths she would always lose herself in every time she looked into his eyes were being eclipsed by blue. _What happened to him, what coma?!_ She demanded to know without saying a word and she got lost looking into his sorrowful face. "Lucire has been taking care of me ever since the shrapnel was removed. I could only remember a few thi- I just remembered you. Nothing else, and so I had to come see you." His face lit up as tears started to trickle down his beautiful face. She realized her legs had given out and he was holding her up. She couldn't help it. She raised up and claimed a kiss from him. She could make the tears stop, she had to. A few moments passed. Then a few more. Her lips kept dancing over his as they reclaimed the purest thing she'd ever owned. His love.

"Yeah. I am still here." this _'Lucire'_ whispered into their ears. Kallen couldn't help but feel her face burn from embarrassment but she couldn't seem to retreat from Luke's embrace. After one last surge forward, Luke retracted his lips and smiled down at her. "That was graceful." Lucire remarked as he waited for them to part. "I'm Lucire," he introduced with a slight head incline and Kallen looked over towards him, "I am sure _'Luke'_ told you plenty about me when you meet on the Ikagura" He finished giving her a wink. She didn't quite understand why he emphasized calling him Luke but once she saw the wink she decided to play along, at least for the time being. She got her man back, little matter next to that. _Not right now._ "Luke woke up from his coma only a few weeks ago," Lucire informed her while focusing his eyes on Luke who was still enthralled by Kallen, still in his arms, "and you were the first person he asked for when he opened his eyes." She had so many questions now but she wasn't sure how to ask them. _Did he really not remember anything?_ She disputed as her face scrunched in confusion, _He was dead. They had a casket and everything._

Luke let go of her and she unconsciously whimpered at his abstinence. He turned to his friend and let out a sigh, a surprised but pleased sounding sigh, and nodded to him. "Thank you Lucire, I know you were a little worried about how this would go but. . . Thanks." He finished with his eyes returning to hers. She felt a warm feeling growing in the void inside of her stomach and she smiled back up at him.

"Uh, so what are we? I-" Kallen started but Lucire interrupted by shifting and clearing his throat.

"I hate to do this to you guys but Luke can you go grab my satchel real quick?" Lucire requested as he moved to the top step and sat on it with a satisfied grin on his face. _Bastard._ Luke frowned immediately and scoffed at him. _Get a Satchel?_ Kallen thought peeved, _he wants Lelouch to leave and get him a bag?!_ "I want to return the book to her. It is more of her right to have it than it is for us to carry it." Lucire insisted, choosing to ignore Kallen's vicious glare. Luke's frown deepened as he realized that the request had valid reasoning. He rose, fingers lingering on Kallen's arms as he slide them all the way down to her own finger tips before he finally broke contact with her.

"Yeah, you're right I guess." He admitted and looked into her eyes once more, they told her to wait just a bit longer. "I will be right back." He confirmed with a little smirk. _He would be back, he promised,_ Kallen thought matching his small smile with one of her own. He turned and walked swiftly down the steps towards the exit. Once Kallen glanced back at Lucire and she realized why he sent him away, his eyes had sharpened upon her and she could sense a total shift in his personality. _Now,_ she affirmed steeling her features, _now I can get some answers._

"So who are you?" She inquired her own eyes sharpening to meet his stare, "How is it that he is alive?"

"I am Lucire." He snorted in response to the first question, "My name means little but if you want, you can call me Lucire. I have been using it for a while now and honestly, It's rather fitting. As for your other question I saved him." He raised an eye brow and continued to examine her responses. "It is true he was stabbed through the heart and like any mortal man he fell. You're good friend Jeremiah brought him directly to the closest loyal hospital," he disclosed as he laced his hands together and drew them to the front of his mouth, "and it is there I claimed Lelouch. It is easy to take a body from a hospital if they believe you are a mortician." Kallen turned her body towards him and he laughed softly at his previous statement.

"The truth of the matter is I am much like your friend 'C two'. Like C.C. I am an immortal who like to keep myself entertained by living besides mortals." He took a deep breath through his nose as if he could smell her disbelief before continuing. "He is alive because I pumped his body full of my blood in a sense. A Blood transfusion and a mix of the drugs _They_ used to make me this way and after that he was, in a way, good as new."

"Why save him?" Kallen shot back, wondering herself why he would do it.

"It is kind of hard to explain," The mysterious man admitted with a genuine smile showing on his face as he lowered his hands, "At first it was because he made the most noise in this world. That and considering it was the actions he was taking that woke me from my bored routine, he seemed like the perfect mark. I admit I did sort of want to meet this C.C. lady but he is the real reason. I came to find him but he killed himself before I could contact him." He paused looking for a sign of whether she knew or not that he had planned his own death, satisfied that she had he resumed. "It wasn't until I started the process of bring him back that I saw what really was going on. I don't have the ability to give fantastical powers," he spat as he moved his hands back down to his legs, "but I can share memories with others. I got to see what he was planning. He killed himself in order to create a world in which all would be happy and never again feel the misery and pains of war. Isn't that the type of man you'd want to live."

"If you can share memories is that why he can't remember anything?" Kallen breathed, warming slightly towards the man for his part in saving and believing in Lelouch as she did.

"No. That was a side effect of him being dead in the first place. Brain cells start to die after a certain amount of time. I didn't know how bad his brain deterioration would be until he woke, or if he woke for that matter. Surgeons tried to repair his heart in time to save him but it was just for show, I had to wait my turn at him." He laughed at the last comment he made and then returned to his jaded mood. "I wrote all of his memories I could decipher into that journal I sent him to get. It is my gift to him. . . and you."

Kallen sighed in relief, it was odd to her but if he was interested in letting her in on his plan she thought she should be flattered. "Why call him Luke? He obviously doesn't know he is Lelouch. . ." she let her words tapper off as she realized where she was going with the query "Who is buried in the that coffin in his stead?" Lucire gawked at Kallen in surprise for a second before remembering what to say.

"Luke is in that coffin. Truth of the matter is I found a man who looked a lot like Lelouch who lived in Hokkaido. He had died during the invasion of Tokyo. The second one" he clarified and moved along. "He looked the part and died from shrapnel via an exploding Knightmare. I just took the identity and ran with it." He paused looking to the doorway to the Ballroom hearing ever increasingly loud footsteps. "I took the name Lucire after I chose Luke. Apparently that man's family had taken their lives in their household and the real Lucire disappeared, it seemed ironic. Kallen, just play along and we can both have him" he added trying to pretend he was having a pleasant conversation for the returning _Luke_. Trying to hide her furious desire to get back at Lucire for manipulating Lelouch, Kallen sucked in her breathe and give a small smile as Lelouch finally trotted back into the ballroom. He gasped in air hoping to catch his breath.

Kallen eyed him, a swirl of emotions held behind the light blue orbs. What could she say to him, the desire to call him Lelouch and hold him in her arms burned away at her as he arrived at the bottom of the stairs and produced the fake journal. "Back," he panted heavily with his head going between his legs. Upon lifting his head to them he asked, "What did I miss?"

Kallen just stared back up at Lucire who had pull himself back to the cheerful chaperon persona. . . _A lot._

* * *

**AN: Welcome back readers! That's right we finally got to the reunion of Kallen and Lelouch and I hope it made you all as happy. Also we get a little glimpse into Lucire's purpose and back story. . . Sinister? Supportive? Who knows but it will be a lot more action packed from here on. **

**If you have gotten this far I congratulate you! While writing this I felt that if you could get through the first four chapters you would have gone through the part of the story that was the slowest/building up to the rest of the story.**

**The focus swaps to Kallen for this chapter because it was her reactions that would determine how Lelouch acted from here on. . . Yay for love aye? From here on out the story gets a good bit faster and more happens. More romance, more drama, more action... of sorts at least.**

**Hey. . . Keep up the reading and make sure to stay classy!  
Eis**


	5. Runes to my Memory

**Gotta get the disclaimer outta the way so. . .  
DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN CODE GEASS OR ANY OF THE RIGHTS TO IT'S CHARACTERS!  
. . . Now on with the show.**

* * *

**CHAPTER FIVE****:** Runes to my Memory

Lelouch withdrew his bottle of water from Lucire's satchel, drinking from it before he tossing it to his impostor of a friend with a smile. _He has no idea what he's dealing with,_ Kallen wailed internally at the horror of knowing. She knew he hid Lelouch to protect him, but did he plan on using him for more than just _entertainment_? Kallen struggled not to blanch at the thought. Kallen had gotten to know Lelouch fairly well in their time together at the Ashford Academy as well as their partnership in the Black Knights, but that relationship slipped from her grasp and she couldn't bare to lose it again to some. . . _immortal witch_. She contemplated how similar it was to sharing Lelouch with C.C. when they had protected him together. This coven seemed easier, _kind of hard to share the task of watching over the man you love with another woman,_ Kallen decided while she pulled her eyes back to Lelouch.

Lelouch shambled his way up the first few steps to where Kallen now hung half off of the fifth step and settled next to her with a huff. He snuggled into her shoulder as he awkwardly screwed the top back onto his drink. She couldn't help but wrap her right arm around him latching to him underneath his arm and her other arm anchored into the stair to help her support his weight. His head rested on her right shoulder and she felt compelled to lie hers upon his. Succumbing to her desire, she laid her head over his and listened carefully as he took soothing breath after breath, relaxing her into sighing in relief. Lucire remained quiet but she could feel his eyes firmly placed on them. Though she held onto her suspicions, she tried not mind. _If he wants to play guardian angel to my Lelouch I don't mind but I've got my eye on you too,_ she thought as she resigned herself to just sitting there and enjoying the moment.

The sound of rough hands digging through cloth shattered the solidarity created by their matched breathing and Lucire hummed over something in his pack. It wasn't long til Lelouch's hand squeezed Kallen's arm so he could regain his head from hers. She moved slowly and stifled a shutter when Lelouch sat his arm upon her shoulder and the blade of his finger traced patterns over the exposed skin under her short sleeve. She enjoyed the embrace and humored her thought of it seeming romantically possessive.

"Here we go." Lucire asserted he slid the black leather-bound book onto Kallen's supporting hand. "That is the personal journal of the first Zero. I would ask you to give it to him but. . ." He paused showing her with the silence he didn't quite trust the other impostors, Zero and Luke, with the truth, not yet. "I think you ought to have it. You were much closer to Zero and since we can only assume who the second _messiah_ is, I believe you deserve it more." Lucire retreated to his former position and grinned at the lover's arm-in-arm stance.

Kallen returned her arm to her lap and brought the book with it. _This book has inside it everything Lelouch ever did during our revolution,_ _it's Lucire's gift to us. Should I even be reading this with Lelouch next to me?_ She noticed a red colored silk ribbon hanging out of the book and cautiously lifted the cover and pages to the marked entry. Her face drained of blood again as she read the first few lines. _THEY WERE READING ABOUT ME EXPOSING MYSELF BY MISTAKE?!_ Kallen flamed as her face started to burn in a mix of embarrassment and rage. "You jerk!" She shouted whacking Lelouch's knee with the back of her hand, "You were reading about me in the shower!" Lelouch recoiled from the strike with a surprised and frightened expression etched into his face. Lucire just laughed. Worst of all Kallen realized was that Lucire had seen the memory. "My god, you guys are worse than Lelouch was!" She spit while fuming at Lucire who still held a silly grin on though his eyes were looking at the ceiling. "At least with him it was a mistake!"

"I'm sorry Kallen, I didn't mean to make it seem that way," Lelouch apologized eyes down and face red, "I forgot I had left my book mark there. I just was reading it on our way here so I could. . . Remember more about you. I didn't mean to. . ." Kallen stopped cold and she felt worse now that she had let her anger out. "It was wrong to read the book I know that now, but I have been desperate to see you again. I knew we were close but I didn't know how you'd react or how we should meet. I'm just sorry" Lelouch finished with a slight bow.

Kallen glared at Lucire before turning to Lelouch again, "It's alright Luke," she hushed and kissed him lightly, "don't worry about it." Kallen had no idea what to do but she couldn't keep her excitement and worry from mixing and it was upsetting her stomach. She didn't even get a slice of her _'achievement'_ and her stomach growled in a cry of hunger. Red blush marked her cheeks as Lelouch retracted from her arms. "Oh," She said mortified her body would do that now, "I am actually really hungry." _Damn that pizza, they ran out before I could have a slice. Some way of rewarding someone who set a record,_ she bitched as her stomach rumbled a second time.

Laughing Lucire clawed the insides of his bag and came out with a yellow plastic package the size of a granola bar. "Here, this can tide ya over til we get out of your hair" Lucire revealed throwing it to Kallen. The energy bar slapped into her palm as she quickly dropped the book and readjusted her reach for the package.

"We haven't had a proper dinner yet you want to join us for a bite?" Lelouch mentioned excitedly but his eyes were pleading. Kallen really wanted to say yes but she had planned on visiting Ohgi tonight after finishing her event at the school. She was already late and Ohgi worried for her like her brother Naoto always had. It wouldn't be much longer til he started calling and leaving messages for her. _I can't let Ohgi see Lelouch, he'll do something drastic, _Kallen whined as she bit into the soft energy snack,_ either way I need to call him before I do anything else._

"Is it alright if I make a call first, I actually already had plans." Kallen admitted hoping they wouldn't mind waiting a bit for her to rearrange her plans with Ohgi. Lelouch looked down and his arm fell from her shoulder before he rose with a fake smile thrown on, both of which she felt bad about. Lucire shot her a glare that could rock a bulldog from his bone before rummaging back into his satchel, that worried her but she didn't feel bad about that at all for.

"That is alright, we did come to unannounced." Lelouch replied with an understanding close-lipped smile and a shake of his head. _Oh god, I didn't mean that as a no._ Kallen rose and put her hand into his.

"Just let me make a call and we'll go out. Ohgi will understand." Kallen reassured herself with the comment more than Lelouch but his smile grew all the same. _Good, _she sighed internally at his pleased expression and even Lucire wore a convincingly pleasant expression at her unspoken promise.

"Go ahead we'll just wait here. We already had a bit to eat." Lucire coaxed as he finally rose from his step. He stretched, standing on the tips of his toes and with arms high over head, making pleased sounds all the while. Lelouch just brushed his hair out of his eyes and beamed at her. She started down the steps, journal in hand and turned back to them before heading towards a different door from the one they came in.

"I need to get my phone, it's with my school uniform and the rest of my stuff, I'll be right back." She informed them and jogged out of the room.

* * *

_RING RING-RING RING-CLICK..._ "Hey Kallen, I was just about to call you." spewed Ohgi's voice tiny and thready through the small phone in Kallen's grasp.

"Ohgi? Yeah. Sorry about that. I had a few friends stop by from out of town. I haven't seen one of them in several months." Kallen apologized, happy she didn't have to lie about that last part to her foster brother.

"Oh yeah? That's funny because I am actually with Zero right now. Funny how old friends keep popping up right?"

"Yeah, it is." Kallen laughed, irony was her visitor was the real Zero. "I hope it is alright if I go out with them tonight. Do you mind?"

"Not at all, I just wanted to hear from you tonight because I need a favor. I just wanted to see if you'd help me with Chigusa. She has been wanting to go out shopping for new cloths, I am busy with my job and her condition with the baby makes everything a little more difficult." Ohgi begged with the sound of defeat etched into the request. They were working on their first child and Viletta had begun to visibly show about two month ago.

"I would be glad to help her but I might be busy with my friends until they leave town." Kallen confessed thinking about how she could use some new cloths for her future dates with Lelouch. _Dates?! did I really. . . dates. . ._ a smile unseen from the other side of the line lingered on Kallen's lips.

"Zero wants to talk to you, is that alright by you?"

"Umm," Kallen stumbled wondering why Zero needed to talk to her, "Sure put him on."

A confident masculine voice floated from the phone as Zero called to her. "Kallen. I have a message from the Empress of Britannia." Zero conveyed in a neutrally but firm tone. "She is interested in visiting you it seems. Can you make time to see her? She's here for that but officially she wants to visit the man in Hokkaido that resembles her brother, I've advised her against it but she still wants to speak with him." Kallen frozen upon hearing that last part. _There is no way this is right. _Kallen proclaimed to herself.

"I would be happy to have Nunnally as a guest again." Kallen paused to make sure it didn't seem too odd that it concerned her, "Why would she want to meet him? Didn't they confirm Lelouch was in his tomb?"

"Yes, he is still in there it seems." Zero sighed and Kallen noticed how his voice sounded truly worried for once, "She just wants to see her brother again, you can understand, he meant a lot to her."

"I suppose, tell her I would love to see her again and we should shoot off fireworks at Ashford together." She took a shaky breath before continuing, "It is something Lelouch asked me to do with him once before. . . he went mad. I actually have someone in from out of town right now. We'll talk about this again soon, thanks for the heads up Zero."

"Anytime. Kallen, have a good night."

"You too, tell Ohgi I'll call him tomorrow and kiss him and Chigusa for me." Kallen hollered in fare well and she strained to hear Zero's response.

"Uhhhh, sure." Zero replied sounding confused. _I wonder if he thought I was being serious about the kiss line?_ Kallen mused as snapped the connection and she slid her phone into her pocket with her pouch knife. She had changed before calling Ohgi and she now appeared to be another ordinary student from the academy; only her red head-band made her stand out now. She pondered how to tell Lucire about Nunnally and headed out of the locker-room back into the Hallway.

* * *

She took her time returning to the ballroom where she left Lelouch and his new immortal tenant. Her mind was full of questions and fears and she needed all the time she could get to get her head back together and into the moment. She rounded a corner just a few steps away from the ballroom and stopped when she could hear them talking.

"If you want me to disappear so you two can have a night of passion in our hotel I can do that for you." drifted into her ears. _Lucire you sick bastard, we've only ever kissed. . . _Kallen cursed in indignation.

"No!" Lelouch exclaimed, "I want to be with her but that's a bit much. . . You know."

"Yes I know how you feel about her. I agree, she's wonderful." Lucire soothed as something moved loudly across the ground. "She cares for you deeply. She is kind and fiery but in all the right ways. I actually like her. You guys are meant to be together." The sound rang out again as whatever had moved was returned to is original position. Kallen felt a blush coming on again but she shook her head lightly as she strained to hear the rest. "Luke, it doesn't change the fact I like to mess with you. You only get that shade of red when I joke about her." Lucire finished with a loud chortle.

"Thanks." Lelouch admonished sourly. "I am happy you approve of her, she is more wonderful than I remember. I was worried she wouldn't remember me that well. I am really relieved this worked out so well."

"I hear ya little bro." Lucire agreed and yawned. "You know I could really use a beer. Where ever we go I need something cold to drink." Kallen closed her eyes and smiled in relief. _Lucire is looking out for Lelouch, even if he doesn't want to admit it. . . I think we are on the same side. Thank goodness. _With a deep breath Kallen cleared her head and waiting for their conversation to lull before she reentered the hall.

Kallen pushed herself into motion after mouthing her way down from ten. When she entered the large open room she found Lelouch sitting on the bottom step of the stairs and Lucire's back was leaning against a table covered in white fabric. "Sorry for taking so long. I wanted to change out of those dirty clothes." Kallen said in way of greeting. "Are you guys ready to go?"

Lelouch cocked his head towards her and sat up straight. "Is everything okay with Ohgi?" Lelouch asked with slight concern laced into the words.

"Yeah, he didn't mind. I will tell you about it later." She announced as she gave another fake smile to cover up her concern.

"Speaking of Ohgi, we ought to go to his bar. Free drinks for Black Knights, ne?" Lucire offered pushing himself off the table with a little thrust of motion. _Ohgi's bar? _Kallen wondered giving him a strange look.

"You mean Tamaki's bar?" Kallen corrected as she supported Lelouch with a comforting hand as he tried to stand up from his marble resting place. He could have gotten up by himself but he seemed content with having her hand in his and she blushed lightly, wanting to kiss him again.

"Tamaki's bar?! You have to be kidding." Lucire coughed in alarm. "There's no way Tamaki owns a bar. He would run any financial institution into the ground if you give him the chance!" Lelouch laughed at Lucire and Kallen couldn't help but laugh either.

"Here, let's go. I'll take you to my favorite place." Kallen enticed heading towards the exit with Lelouch, hand in hand.

* * *

**AN: Yep. . . Had to make fun of my best bud in the story Tamaki. Welcome back to the story that. . . never ends?! Nah just updates too much. . .**

**Anyway, hey guys. I wanted to give a shout out to ****Uni Giglio Nero****, First person to follow this story! Thanks for following along guys, always makes me smile. . . Just so you guys know if I bring it up in the story normally there will be a explanation for it. I left this Ohgi/Tamaki bar joke waiting for a while. I hope it was worth it because I am sure people didn't say it but were thinking. . . wtf, wrong person's bar. . . Don't worry readers I got your backs.**

**AS ALWAYS! Keep it classy and keep on reading the good reads!**


	6. Friends

**Yep. . . GO GO DIS-CLAIMER!  
DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN CODE GEASS OR ANY OF THE RIGHTS TO IT'S CHARACTERS!**

* * *

**CHAPTER SIX****:** Friends

Kallen laughed wholeheartedly when the door to the hotel room opened. She had just dined with Lelouch and his savoir Lucire and they laughed the whole way back to their lodging as they recounted silly stories from their past. Kallen brought them to her favorite noodle house and they occupied it for the last two hours catching up on lost time. Lelouch still hid behind that silly hat and Kallen fooled with the notion that Lucire got it for him on purpose as an homage to his fellow immortal - C.C. who loved the food chain. Lucire's impression of 'Luke' after a physical activity forced yet another burst of laughter from Kallen as she bounced onto a bed with a light hop. Lelouch wore a embarrassed smile but the tightening of the skin around his eyes gave away his displeasure at him friend making him look bad in front of his hope-to-be-soon girlfriend. Lelouch slid into a tan plastic covered plush chair that clung to the wall next to a end-table with a white and gold table lamp upon it before resting his hands on the edge of the armrest. Lucire shoved his head out the door and glanced from side to side before shutting the door and dead bolting it.

"I haven't had this much fun in ages," Lucire purred as he eased onto the ground, following the wall to the gray and black patterned carpet. Lelouch agreed with a hum as he rubbed his full stomach. "Honestly I think we ought to do this more often," Lucire sighed an inebriated gasp of air and turned his head slowly towards Kallen "So long as we aren't bothering Kallen of course."

"Not at all. I am really, really happy you guys came to visit. It is a shame you don't plan on staying past the weekend." Kallen answered with a sly smile aimed at Lelouch. Neither she or Lelouch had anything to drink but the fact that Lucire cut loose in the way he did made her feel like they were all celebrating their reunion.

"Give me a second okay?" Lucire babbled slowly as he drug himself to his feet and headed for the door. "I completely forgot to call Daisuke. I wanna make sure everything is good with them." Kallen moved across the room assisting Lucire with the lock as he tried to unlock the door and dig into his pocket for his phone at the same time. Upon stumbling out the door to the banister of the second story hotel complex Lucire turned and teased "Don't get too frisky in there" to which Kallen responded by slamming the door.

"My goodness, he can't take his liquor." Lelouch ridiculed as Kallen turned back to him in the renewed silence. _We're alone together,_ Kallen thought embarrassed and reign in a laugh, _should I tell him the truth? Or perhaps I should take this chance to enjoy some. . ._ her mind wondered to adult places and a blushed ticked her as she let herself get that carried away. She took long silent strides to him and settled herself into his lap, her back towards him and both of her legs hanging off his as she tried not to put too much weight onto him. Lelouch hummed a pleased sound in his throat as his arms wrapped around her trim waist and he turned her slightly so he could set his cheek against hers. She wasn't sure if she'd ever get accustomed to having him in her life like this but she decided to relish every moment she could. His arms warmed her stomach as one of her arms contorted behind her head and she ran her fingers through his hair. Her other hand occupied it's self by clamping on one of his that in turn clung to her middle.

"No I suppose he can't. He really cares about you, you know?" Kallen whispered through a soft smile. "It really is a shame that you are going to be leaving in a few days." She figured this way might far better than asking him to stay. She turned her head slightly so she could see him out of the corner of her eye. He looked content this way and it shocked her when he leaned ever so lightly forward and kissed her cheek. "Hey Luke. . . What are we? Are we a couple?"

Lelouch let out an amused huff and she felt him shrug, "I sort of kinda thought we were. We have the time now at least." Kallen laughed lightly but in side she felt a wash of overwhelming relief and bliss. They were together, and not just in person but in heart as well.

"He he," She giggled and relaxed into him fully, "Well if we have time you don't have to leave to soon. You can stay away longer right?"

"Kallen. . ." rumbled through her as he spoke, "I really want to. I don't want to leave you again." That last part made her want to curl up in shame, she felt that way several times during the war when she was tricked into separating herself from him. "I just know Lucire would be upset about leaving the dogs and the crops unattended to." he interrupted as he gave her a little squeeze to her middle.

"Perhaps I can talk to him for you. I have a way with words," Kallen informed her impromptu seat. "Maybe I can convince him to stay longer or perhaps find a place for you to stay. . . and he can go back," she added after the pause. He sighed warm breath onto her neck and a delicious shiver of anticipation rippled down her spine to her center and then to her. . . . _Ohhh my!_ She tried not to squirm but it felt a little too good for her to deny it's effect on her raising passion. _This isn't good,_ Kallen quickly concluded worrying about her resolve, _I wanted him to stay but if I stay any longer I might get carried away._

"He," Lelouch started then reconsidered his words, "perhaps you could convince him to stay longer but I sort of doubt it. I couldn't say no to you but we know why that is." He quieted himself for that last part. She felt him move as he said the next part but it was too low of a mumble for her to hear him. She wondered what he had said but decided he'd get around to it, they had all the time in the world. She wiggled off of his lap and faced him with a wry smile. He blinked profusely as she kissed him deeply and shimmied to the door. "Uhhh," He stammered in her absence, "good luck."

* * *

Kallen found Lucire along the balcony a ways off near the end of the complex. He stood stoically relaxed with his elbows holding his weight on the metal railing. She waved as he acknowledged her presence with a nod and she set herself against the banner next to him. His phone wasn't visible and he seem rather sober compared to how he appeared a few minutes ago. "Hey" Kallen offered.

"Hey." Lucire shot back in a bored countenance. _Really?_ Kallen expected more than that.

"You seem a lot more coherent. . ." She noted to which he nodded, smirking as he did so. "So how'd your phone call go?" Kallen ventured looking for an insight into how he was actually feeling.

"Daisuke didn't answer his phone, neither did his sister. I figure they are eating or are perhaps asleep. Once I couldn't reach them I decided to let you two have some alone time." Lucire admitted turning his gaze to her. "You didn't tell him anything?"

"No. Though the thought had come to mind." Kallen asserted as she looked down onto the small side street that held a very limited amount of traffic this late at night. "Would that have wrecked you plans?"

"I wouldn't mind if he knew eventually. I originally thought he would know who he was. I just think that he should be happy, not many people have a good thing going like he does. I am going to make sure he is safe either way but I would rather him believe he is who he wants to be."

"Well he wants to stay here." Kallen divulged in a firm unwavering tone, "I don't think going back to Hokkaido would be that safe right now anyway." Lucire pushed his arms off the railing and completely turned to face her eyes high in question

"Not safe in Hokkaido?" He mused waiting for an explanation.

"I talked to Zero tonight." Kallen started and Lucire's eyebrow fell in a swift change of expression.

"Suzaku." Lucire interrupted with a snarl marking his young seeming face appear full of malice and old hatred.

"Suzaku? I guessed but - that's not the point. Zero said His sister, Nunnally, was coming to Japan to talk with 'Luke'." Kallen continued showing disgust of her own at not realizing sooner Zero's identity. Deep down on some level she reveled in the fact she defeated him and his Lancelot frame, the fact she knew he survived the encounter for sure diminished accomplishment somehow in her mind. "Even though I said that might not be a good idea, she still wants to meet him. Even Zero advised her not to."

Lucire's face scrunched up in disdain and he turned to the street again. "Bloody assholes." He spat in quick furious splurges, "Of all the times for the nobility to take interest." His face returned to it's placid bearing and he inhaled deeply, "Perhaps you are right, for once Tokyo may be safer than Hokkaido. Would you be able to protect him here? Where would you house him? In your mansion, miss 'Stadtfeld'?"

"I don't live with my father anymore plus I am not sure about my home. I don't think either of them will work." Kallen announced her eyes looking into the star spotted night sky. _I might get tempted to do something. . . inappropriate. That and I'm not sure how my mother would take my boyfriend living with us. Plus my father might get upset with having a man of age in his house while he's away. _Kallen thoughts pinged on reasons for saying no but she would concede if it meant she could spent more time with Lelouch. "Actually If you let me tell one of my friends she could help us out with a place to hide. She is very trust worthy, I know she wouldn't mind helping us out." _Milly did owe me one._

"Depends on who it is." Lucire caved with a sigh.

"Milly Ashford."

"MILLY?!" Lucire almost screamed and Kallen winced making shushing sounds as he lowered his voice. "She's a bloody reporter! Are you nuts?"

"Milly knew Lelouch was a prince and still hid him from Britannia. I seriously doubt she'd turn him over for a story." Kallen flamed at the fact this man thought so little of her friend.

"Reporters will say anything for the inside scoop." Lucire admonished as he stared intently at the red haired woman. "Look, Kallen. I trust you with Luke. You truly care for him and that is something very few people could say. . . but I don't trust her. The media would make his life miserable, they already hounded us enough in Hokkaido, I could hardly fathom what kind of a horde would follow him here." Lucire gave an apologetic winch to Kallen before turning his back on the street, leaning against the iron median and throwing his forearms on top of the bars for support.

"Milly is trustworthy. She knew I was Japanese and I still went to her school, she still supported me. She also found out I was in the Black Knights and still let me back into the school when I returned from the war. She protects her friends and Lelouch IS her friend." Kallen whispered to him as she glanced down the balcony back towards the room she left Lelouch in.

"If you can vouch for her then I am willing to put it in your hands but If she tells anyone else I will. . ." Lucire's voice faded into nothing and he strained for the next word. "I will have to fix the situation." He finished almost unsure of his last comment. "You know, I hate the Nobility worse than reporters, that's the only reason I'll let this slide." Kallen raised an eye brow to meet his playful gaze.

"Lelouch is royalty. Was." Kallen corrected herself.

"He is different. The royalty of Britannia tend to manipulate the truth of the world believing they are superior. They are just men. It is truly disturbing. To view a entire race of people claim they are superior to all over and their nobility declares their people are meaningless compared to themselves." Lucire rant rose an octave at that last part before he calmly returned to his previous pitch and timbre, "Noble intentions beats out noble blood every time. He broke the chain of ignorance, albeit through force and disaster." Lucire exhaled and stretched as he started back for the door. "You just take care of him, I wanna be there when you tell miss Ashford. If she seems sincere I will leave it in your hands. . . Let's go. Don't wanna leave your lover waiting do you?"

* * *

It had been a rough night for Kallen. When she got home she had trouble sleeping. She became so use to talking to Lelouch every night before she drifted to sleep that the fact she now could go and talk to him in person threw her for a loop. The constant tossing and turning of the night was interrupted by short visions of her and Lelouch doing unspeakable things together. _What's wrong with me_. _I've never thought of anything like this when we were together before. . . normally._ She amended her last thought before tossing her arm over a pillow she used to cuddle with when she missed him especially. Kallen climbed out of bed and headed down the tiny apartment hallway to her bathroom. Splashing water into her face, she groaned as her thoughts continued to spiral around Lelouch. _I better call Milly before she gets busy today. What time is it?_ Kallen wondered behind a dripping wet concerned frown. When she returned to her room she sat back upon her bed and looked up to the clock. _6:27_ she read in annoyance. She wasn't going to get anymore usable sleep before needing to call her friend.

The next hour passed in splurges of day dreams about how she'd tell Milly about Lelouch and what she and Lelouch would do today when Lucire left for Hokkaido. Lelouch was shocked to hear Kallen had convinced Lucire to return to Hokkaido without him and he almost picked her up in his excitement. She smiled at that last thought and checked the clock again to make sure she had time before she was suppose to meet up with Lucire again. _7:40. . . Perfect._ With a slight sigh she reached over, withdrew her phone from its charger and dialed away.

_RING RING-RING-CLICK. . ._ "Morning Kallen. What's with the early call?" Milly purred and the sound of a car door clunked shut sounded between her questions. "Calling to hear my accolades?" the former president of the student council guessed cattily.

"Hey Milly, not this time." Kallen gulped and continued on with a nervous frown, "I really need to see you. It's extremely important."

"Hey now, what's the matter Kallen?" her friend coaxed sounding more seriously then she'd sounded in months.

"I just need to see you as soon as you can get time away from work."

"That shouldn't be hard. I will just tell them I am not feeling well today. It's been too long since we had a girls day and I could take this time to congratulate you on the event yesterday." Milly told her keeping an air of pleasant boredom flowing though the tiny receiver. "Do you want me to pick you up at your mother's place?"

"No, can I meet you at school? I have to make sure no one is watching me." Kallen lied and her lips pursed in shame of having told her friend a white lie.

"Hmmmmm, okay then I can be there in forty-five minutes." Milly informed her before continuing, "We'll take care of whatever this is, I got your back Kallen."

"Thanks Milly. See ya soon." Kallen breathed as she shut off the phone and rose to get dressed.

_RING RING-RING RING-RING RING-CLICK. . . _"Morning Kallen. . ." Rumbled Lucire voice in greeting, "Luke is still asleep. Are we all set?"

"We're set alright. . ."

* * *

The main gate to the school was still lock when they had arrived but after a quick check Kallen found the side 'hidden' entrance hung open inviting them in. Kallen had dressed in a white sleeveless button down blouse with a ribbon decoratively hanging from the middle of the top and the first two buttons undone, a pair of cream colored tight fitting slacks, white open toed shoes and red horn-rimmed glasses. She thought they made her look sophisticate and beautiful. They were picked out for the later activities with Lelouch not the sneaking into the school with Lucire and Milly. Lucire had a black button down dress shirt untucked and left unbuttoned only at the collar, a navy-blue blue jeans and a pair of black running shoes with an emblem of a jungle cat in mid stride on the heel. _Boy we look out of place,_ Kallen worried as they headed to the side entrance of the school they had used yesterday for their own private discussion.

"Call your friend." Lucire called over his shoulder as he shut the door softly so that the normal sound of the lock latching wouldn't give away someone had entered though it.

"She is already here." came Milly's voice a mix of amused and speculative. Kallen beamed at her friend as she stood there arms wide open and smiling. Kallen embraced her and squeezed her a bit tighter than she needed to but she was truly pleased Milly took the time off from her job to help her. Lucire turned to them, tilted his head in acknowledgement and he analyzed Milly with a smirk on his face. Milly released Kallen and looked into her eyes with a sly smile. She looked good as always wearing a solid blue blouse and a nice black camisole peaking though to cover her cleavage that would otherwise show with the revealing top. "Still doing nicely in this department," Milly teased as she assaulted Kallen's chest with a quick squeeze.

"MILLY!" Kallen gasped and recoiled. Milly just laughed and took a step back giving Kallen the space she needed.

"Sorry Kallen, if you are gonna pull me away from work I am gonna have a bit of fun with ya. Who is the hunk of a man over there? Is he the reason you needed me to bail you out of hot water?" Milly mused placing a finger to her chin in contemplation.

Before Kallen could correct her Lucire grunted a chuckle and said "If only, we have something a bit more important to deal with." Milly's amused expression faded and she looked to Kallen with a neutral stare.

"So what is this all about Kallen?" Milly asked, her eyes intently on Kallen's.

Kallen opened her mouth but nothing escaped. She had to take another deep breath before she could final manage the words. . . "Lelouch is alive."

* * *

**I wanna give a personal shout out to ****Glance15**** from on . That is where I found the picture that I used to create Kallen's outfit for this chapter!**

** spots/code-geass/images/1998744/title/kallen-wallp aper**

**That is the picture and this website has plenty of awesome artworks to for a Code Geass fan's viewing pleasure. . . Other than that I always gotta give my shout outs to my buddies ****Magery**** and ****Topears**** for helping me with the editing, inspiration and continued support. I am even more excited to announce I've got more people joining in! Hey there ****XT3100****, ****CJ4675****, ****Umbra8191****, ****LikeaPETTER****, ****Regent1723, inconstancy**** and ****Adm. Antilles****, it's really good to know you guys are enjoying the story too! As always don't be afraid to review or PM me if you have any questions or suggestions.**

**Everyone have a wonderful night and I'll see you bright and early tomorrow for a new installment!**

**Keep on reading and keep classy.**


	7. It's Been A While

**Gotta cover our asses. . .  
DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN CODE GEASS OR ANY OF THE RIGHTS TO IT'S CHARACTERS!  
. . . Asses covered? Good.**

* * *

**CHAPTER SEVEN****:** It's Been A While. . .

Milly stood still, finger resting on her chin from before Kallen spoke; only her eyes moved. The wide eyed surprise forced Kallen into a panic, wondering if her admission of his survival had broken her friend. Milly's eyes drifted to Lucire who wore a curious gaze back at her. Kallen saw the gears in her brain clicking trying to figure out what to say. _I shouldn't have put Milly in this position,_ Kallen worried as she put her hand onto Milly's shoulder to show her it was okay. Milly shook her head implying she was alright as her golden locks rustled their way into her face. Milly maneuvered the strands back into place and sucked in a breath.

"That isn't him, is it?" Milly breathed trying not to start hyperventilating. Kallen's eyes shot to Lucire who now wore a grin larger the the whole island of Hokkaido.

"Milly it is so good to see you again, I've missed our time together." Lucire mimed in a raised voice far from his normal baritone. "No, I am not the great Lelouch. I am his keeper." he simpered dropping his smile and returning to a neutral unreadable mien. "I am just here to make sure you can be trusted."

"Oh." Milly stammered losing herself in thought once again before Kallen squeezed her shoulder.

"Milly, I know this is really odd and sort of sudden but could you help me house him?" Kallen begged throwing on a cheerful smile which did little to change how she felt about the request. "He doesn't remember who he is and what he's done. I just. . . want him close by." Kallen looked away and fiddled with the ribbons on her shirt.

Milly closed her eyes and breathed deeply before blooming a warm and genuine smile. "Of course I will help you Kallen. Lelouch is one of us after all." Milly assured her friend and Kallen broke into smiling right back at her; however, Milly couldn't see it because she had been pulled into a tight embrace by her pleading friend. "I do have a few question though."

"Questions as a friend. . . or questions as a reporter?" Lucire interrupted, peering down at Milly with a scowl.

"As a friend. And as one of the few people in this world who is would help you." Milly pledged mixing concern and a threat into the statement before letting go of Kallen.

"I want you to know I am the one who saved Lelouch, and I will do anything to keep him safe. Don't fuck with me - I will answer any questions you have but if _any_ of my answers make it to a media outlet. . ." Lucire warned in a low controlled voice, but his eyes promised pain in place of what he didn't say aloud.

"I would never betray my friends, especially if they told me about their secrets." Milly accused wearing her concern more vividly on her face.

"Neither would I. I don't mean to be rude but I have had my hands full with journalist so far and I am worried for my friends safety." Lucire apologized and look out the window neutrally. "What would you like to know?"

Milly clacked to the wall next to him in her business high heels and sat, her back towards the window. He looked down at her and managed to smile for her as he mimicked her and sat with his back against the the door. Kallen shifted from side to side wanting to not get her outfit dirty but not wanting to stand out. With an angsty puff of breath, Kallen walked into the other room as Milly started her inquiry, "What has he been doing these last five months?" Lucire straightened his back and hummed an understanding tone when Kallen walked back into the hallway with a cushioned chair from the ballroom that lie only several meters away.

"He was in a coma for a few months. He did get stabbed that was no act. I've been taking care of him while he was in that state, until he woke up a little under a month ago. We'd been hiding out in Hokkaido and-"

"The look-alike was actually Lelouch?" Milly predicted looking a bit shocked as all the gears clicked into place an instant.

"Yep." Kallen added leaning over her knees with her elbows resting on her thighs to keep her stable.

"Why did you come to me? Hokkaido is pretty far away." Milly asked, eyes resting on Kallen's limp hands between her legs. "And how long have you known Kallen?"

"Well" both Kallen and Lucire interjected before exhaling amused puffs of air. Lucire gestured for her to go and and Kallen continued, "I found out yesterday after I finished making the Pizza. Since Lelouch doesn't remember anything it was Lucire here that told me everything. Apparently though Lelouch doesn't remember anything, he has dreams about a few things but he doesn't really remember anything. . .and I am one of those things he dreamed about." Kallen trailed off and she smiled lightly at the thoughts it brought to her head. _I'm important to him. Maybe even more important to him than anything else._

"He is quite infatuated with Kallen here and I am not gotta stop that train from rolling so to speak." Lucire picked up as his real smile slowly faded away again. "We headed here to get away from our reporters and it was a good enough excuse to convince neighbors to watch our property while we found out how Kallen felt about our Lelouch. Kallen however found out that Empress Nunnally is coming to Japan in hopes of meeting 'Luke' and I'd rather not have to deal with the media and royalty all at once."

Milly grinned cattily at Kallen who only just now was returning to the conversation from her fantasies. "I see where that could be difficult to handle. Well that's a good enough reason for me. His name is Luke now?" Milly delved for a name in a soft prying tone.

"Aye, his name is Luke. I suggest calling him that from now on." Lucire informed, staring intently at Kallen to make sure she knew to do so as well.

"Alright. Luke." Milly agreed beginning to stand, "Do you want me to put him in our private house or would you rather have him stay where he use to live on the campus? I can have an extra bedroom for Kallen. . . or do you plan on sharing one?" Milly teased while poking Kallen's shoulder with an elbow.

Kallen jumped at the accusation but Lucire just laughed and pushed himself to his feet. "Hey!" Kallen shot, raising her voice in her defense, "I wouldn't do that. Get two bed rooms. Wait! NO! I have my own place now, I'm not staying with him."

Lucire just hummed his amusement and walked over offering a hand to help Kallen up with. "I would rather he stay somewhere more secure to be honest. Your private house sounds better to me. And two beds please. . ." He whispered while pulling Kallen to her feet. "I would like it if you stayed with him at least on the nights of the weekend. Please Kallen." Kallen displayed her disagreement plainly but Lucire just smiled at her when she shook her head in a noncommittal light nod.

"The house is empty almost all year when my family isn't using it and since we don't want anyone freaking out over him being there, there won't be any house-staff. If you want secure you're best bet is here. His former quarters are more secure, harder to see into and if someone does see him from a far they won't think twice because he looks the right age to be enrolled here." Milly offered, leading the way back to the ballroom. Kallen turned to follow with the chair but Lucire already fetched it and now held it high over head.

They traveled around the corner to the ballroom and Milly exhaled in a reminiscent memory. Kallen watched as Lucire returned the chair to it's empty space at the closest table to the door. "We can do that but I wanna make sure no one tells him that Lelouch use to live there." Lucire advised turning back to the women. "It would be just too many tumblers clicking into place at once. That would be too much of a coincidence and I am-" A muffled buzzing sound rose into the air and Lucire jumped at the sensation, leaving his last line behind. Pulling a small blue phone from his single breast pocket in his shirt he curse upon seeing the caller. "Damn it's Luke. He woke earlier than I thought. Just give me a second." He pleaded as he loped across the room to get a bit of privacy. "Hello?"

Lucire started speaking as he retreated from earshot and Milly closed the distance between her and her friend. "I am so happy for you Kallen." Kallen hugged her again and they both squeezed each other tightly at the same time. "I'm glad you came to me with this, glad I could help you get closer to Lelouch. Shirley would be so mad." Milly laughed and Kallen mused at the though internally, _I'm glad Milly can laugh about how things use to be with Shirley now._ Kallen thought it was humorous but couldn't bring herself to laugh at the fact Shirley wasn't actually there to be mad for herself.

Lucire called to them as he rushed back from the far side of the large unoccupied room. "Hey I gotta get back to our hotel room, Luke called wondering where we were. I told him we were getting breakfast and making sure he had a place to stay for a few days. You wanna stay here and catch up with your friend or do you wanna come with me to pick him up?"

"I don't know," Kallen admitting looking to Milly for advice to which she got a shrug. "I will stick with Milly but hurry back. I'm starving," Kallen joked as she waved him out the door.

"Okay, will do. Miss Ashford thanks for this. I'm sorry if I came off as disrespectful." Lucire apologized heading for the entrance and he turned to look at them a final time before exiting. "It was a real pleasure, you're a real fine lady." Milly blushed a little at the last comment and giggled as she turned back to Kallen.

"He's sweet once you get past the watch-dog mentality." Milly breathed as Kallen shrugged right back at her.

"I suppose. He really cares about Lelouch." Kallen mentioned while withdrawing a chair and she planted herself in it. "I am not really that sure why. He is just some guy who decided he wanted to take care of Lelouch."

"What is his story anyway?" Milly asked and sat the chair kitty corner to Kallen's.

"It's complicated." Kallen said with an apologetic shrug. Another round of buzzing sounded from Kallen's pocket and she gave a raised finger 'excuse me' gesture.

She moved out of her seat and edged the phone open. Kallen answered with a polite "Hello?"

"Kallen. It's Zero. . ."

* * *

A warm donut sat between Lelouch's index finger and thumb as he chomped down on his first meal of the day. Lucire had arrived about twenty minutes after he called him with a bag full of donuts and bagels. It wasn't very Japanese but for a long time this part of the world had a number designation and it didn't surprise him this was what Lucire scrounged up. They were off to the school again because Lucire and Kallen had worked something out with the owner of the school to let him stay there for the week while Lucire returned home. It struck Lelouch as odd at first but Lucire convinced him that Kallen's being the vice-president of the student council gave her the ability to pull strings like this. Lucire seemed pleased about the arrangement and so long as he could see Kallen more before heading home he didn't mind the being an inconvenience. They were suppose to meet an old friend of Kallen's there and she would help him get settled into his new surrounding before Lucire hit the train back to Tomioka.

"So I am staying at the Ashford Academy? Wouldn't that be a bit public?" Lelouch asked staring out the window of their taxi.

"Actually it is a private school so people aren't normally allowed on the premises unless they teach or attend the Academy." Lucire offered, Lelouch's packed bag in his lap. "That and Kallen will be there the whole week, she'll keep ya busy and outta trouble."

"Ahhhhh," Lelouch mouthed before dragging another pastry out of the bag and devouring it. The taxi pulled up besides the schools front gate and Lelouch stepped out first as Lucire paid the Japanese man who was quietly driving them while listening to the news about 'the prime minister and his esteemed guest'. The main gate was open and young people left in groups out to spend the Saturday morning away from their dormitories on campus. Lelouch was sure no one would come up to him today, it was early and he was dressed up enough to not call too much attention to himself. He wore his best black dress shirt that flared off a intricate stitching pattern near the shoulder that remained completely unbuttoned to show off his white undershirt. He also wore a dark pair of aviator sunglasses, a small chain necklace that hung delicately over his undershirt and a pair of comfortable faded blue jeans hiding his brown suede leather sneakers.

Lucire slammed the car door shut and briskly padded his way over to Lelouch. "Onward to the ballroom my good man." Lucire instructed as he handed Lelouch his bag back. They started through the gate heading down the main pathway towards the main building. Lelouch admired the beautiful scenery as they took their time getting to the fountains near the front building, but Lucire admired the young girls clad in their casual weekend clothes. Upon reaching the top the stairs Lucire gasped as Zero, the leader of the Black Knights and assassin of Lelouch, stood only meters away. He seemed engaged in talking with Milly Ashford and Lelouch begun to panic as he tried to slide to the outside edge hiding himself behind Lucire's stature. Zero glanced their way and keep his vision on the two men as they passed him. The masked man tilted his head in a quick jerk, then he slightly tilted it back and grabbed for his collar, readjusting it lightly up to his neck where his esophagus would be before turning back the off duty reporter. Lelouch had seen that movement before but couldn't place it. He lowered his head and quickened his strides to get out of the open and Lucire placed himself between his charge and the 'war hero' cursing silent curses all the while.

"Fuck, why is were they out front?!" Lucire spit upon turning the corner of the building and disappearing from Zero's sight. "Well that got my heart racing."

"That surprised me too. When you said Kallen was bringing a friend I didn't think you meant Kururugi." Lelouch panted in relief, "Good thing that reporter didn't see me." Lucire raised an eye brow as they slowed down and reached the door they'd entered the other day to get to the ballroom.

"Yeah. . . Let's just hope neither of them come over here to investigate. Hang low while I get a hold of Kallen, this was _not_ the welcome I had expected." Lucire whispered as he guided Lelouch into the empty party room. Lucire retrieved his phone from his pocket and stood out in the hallway dialing rapidly. _Go to the roof, I should hide out on the roof,_ popped into Lelouch's mind over and over as he tried to catch his breath from the hurried pace. He had to get away.

"Hey, Lucire I'm gonna go up the stairs and hide out on the roof. Okay?" Lelouch called to his friend to which he got a glance and a nod before he trotted up the stairs to the second floor. It felt odd walking through the empty halls of the school. All the empty classrooms. All the sounds wouldn't return to it's hallways until the next school day. It just stood out as odd to him. It didn't take long to find another set of stairs that led even farther up, and eventually to the roof.

It was nice up there, a pleasant breeze passed over the stone banners guarding the ledges of the schools roof. Lelouch breathed deeply of the Autumn air and he eased himself against one of the banners. He felt so a peaceful waiting for Kallen and Lucire that he sighed contented and gazed across the fields of the schoolyard and marveled at it's complete beauty. _I'll get to stay here for a week? I could get use to this, _he concluded with a smile. He heard a cough of surprise come from behind him and he turned to find the Messiah of the Japanese standing a few steps behind him.

"Kallen brought you to help me?" Lelouch called out in way of greeting. Zero just remained silent as he continued, "You know. . . It's funny, so you're the one I named my dog after, huh?" _Luke_ scoffed leaning over the banister, "I know who you are and lets face it Mister Kururugi. You're just a copy of that mask's former master." Suzaku growled something inaudibly before straightening to regain the air of Zero.

Zero still gazed at the man in front of him, no words coming from the leader of justice. It unnerved Lelouch and he stood straight preparing for one of Zero's speeches he was so well known for quoting; however, what came from Zero surprised him so much more.

"Then. . . why are you still alive Lelouch?"

* * *

**AN: HELLO! From now on it isn't just our little secret is it? I just HAVE to thank everyone who is following this story so far. I hope you guys are enjoying the story, I work hard for folks like you and I am pleased to have gotten any follows let alone 10! It's wonderful to have people enjoying my story! To ****Tractorman11**** and ****The Strike Freedom****, I wanna thank you guys for deciding to follow along!**

**I hope the few jokes thrown in there are getting the effect I was aiming for but if they are too much please, tell me. I don't wanna make you put up with bad jokes! I wanna know how everyone feels about the story so don't be afraid to leave a review or talk to me via a PM. I'll see you guys tomorrow with the next exciting installment!**

**As I've said before. . . Keep reading the good fight and stay classy!**


	8. In My Time of Dying

**"So I can die easy. . ."  
DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN CODE GEASS OR ANY OF THE RIGHTS TO IT'S CHARACTERS!  
. . . Sorry about that I just love that song . . .  
"Don't you make it my dyin', dyin', dyin'". . . . *Cough*. . . "Cough?"**

* * *

**CHAPTER EIGHT****:** In My Time of Dying

_Lelouch. . . Lelouch. . ._

The name echoed through Lelouch's brain and it left a hollow feeling in his stomach. Lelouch had died to this man, stabbed in the heart. He had known this because he read about Lelouch's plans via his journal, but this struck him as odd. Zero - Suzaku assisted the emperor in his plot to return peace to the world. He knew all about Lelouch's plan. . .

Lelouch's eyes shifted around as he tried to process what this meant. He had been called the emperor's name before but by people who had never met the man. He always concluded they were just seeing what they wanted to see but this was different. The Demon Slayer who lie before him experienced the demon's wrath and it's gifts. He understood more about the fiend than anyone else could and it was he who could tell. _Why? _Lelouch warred between reason and the perversion of logic that was thrown into dispute, _Why of all people does he have to be making these claims? Could it be I am the Demon of Britannia?_ Zero knew something he didn't. Hell everyone knew something he didn't but he felt this was too much of a coincidence.

"Why would you call me Lelouch?" He stuttered at the master of manipulation.

"What do you mean?"

"My name isn't Lelouch, he's dead and you know that better than anyone." _You did it! _sat unsaid in his mind.

"Another act Lelouch? You can talk to me. Why are you still here?" Zero pleaded in a soothing quiet voice. Lelouch felt a crack of doubt, _what if I am wrong? Kallen, Lucire. . . Would they lie to me._ Lelouch felt his knees buckle as the weight of his mind overwhelmed the rest of his senses and forced him to the ground.

"I don't know who I really am. I-I" Lelouch stammered as he tried to figure out how to take this. Zero wasn't there to kill him, he wouldn't. _Kallen brought him to the school to help me keep from being found out by the media._ _Or was it because I had an actual reason to hide?_

Zero took a step and Lelouch reached to the ledge to hoist himself back to his feet. By the time Zero reached the man he'd almost accomplished the feat much to his disgust. Zero helped anchor him to the stone support and they gazed at one another. Lelouch started to feel sick. Either he'd been played for a fool by Zero or he'd been manipulated by his 'friend' Lucire. Zero cleared his throat which forced Lelouch for his thoughts. "Are you alright?"

"I'll be alright." Lelouch lied trying to regain his footing on how he felt as well as his actual feet. "I really did forget who I was. I woke from a coma. I could remember so little." He recited, mind racing on how fucked up this all was. "What makes you think I am Lelouch?"

"You came to the roof." Zero replied propping the disoriented man up with his purple and black cloth-laden shoulder.

"The roof. . ." Lelouch questioned, eye brow risen in disbelief. _I am deemed as Lelouch by walking onto the roof. Hold on a second._

"When we were young you created a series of hand movement that meant different things. This-" Zero repeated his collar readjustment in demonstration, "meant to meet up on the roof to talk." Lelouch searched his memories of a few minutes ago and recalled the intense urge to get to the top of the building. _Shit, he's being serious._

"You-" Lelouch's words were cut of by the sound of the door to roof being opened and a pair of gasps. Lelouch timidly rose his gaze to find Kallen and Lucire eyes wide at the sight. Lucire snarled something beneath his breath as he exploded into motion halving the distance in a second. Kallen hesitated for an second before shouting for Lucire to stop. She loped after him right as Lucire lunged towards Zero and Lelouch. Zero dropped Lelouch and raised his guard almost at the same time in preparation for the collision. In that split second of weightlessness Lelouch realized soon agony would burst from his ungraceful landing and he cringed waiting for the throbbing to begin. Eyes closed he waited for the pain but instead he felt only the light gasp of someone levitating him inches off of the ground. Lucire had dove to grab Lelouch and protect him from the fall. Opening his violet rimmed eyes to find zero looking down on him, Kallen sighing relief next to him, and his now in question friend holding him elevated off the cement roof struck him as a very odd way to wind up.

"Luke are you alright?" Lucire panted, panic still elevating the pitch of his voice. Kallen steel blue eyes mimicked Lucire's green eyed gaze of worry and he felt stupid for calling their loyalty into question. Lelouch rose from Lucire's cradling hold on him and he dusted his pants off. _That wasn't very graceful_, Lelouch noted as he turned to make sure all three were in his view. _Now I am going to get some answers._

"Yeah I am alright." Lelouch breathed shakily debating where to begin his inquiry. He had responded to Luke for the last month but he wasn't sure he wanted to hear that right now. The conflicting emotions warring within him called for a decision.

"I am so sorry Luke, I wasn't here to get you." Kallen apologized grasping him into an embrace. He wanted to tell her it would be alright. He wanted to say he didn't mind. Problem was he did mind and he needed to know what really happened to him. Did it happen to him? Did it happen to Lelouch? He didn't know and it ate away at his insides. He softly returned to affection before withdrawing and ogled her attire. She looked outstanding and for a second he lost his focus.

"What did you do to him?" Lucire hissed at Zero from an arms length of separation.

"Nothing." the masked figure declared. "I just had to ask him about his survival."

"His name is Luke, not even you can convince him to say otherwise." Lucire spat as the skin around his eyes tightening, his eyes twitched and his nose shriveled in hatred.

"Am I? Or am I really Lelouch?" Lelouch conjectured searching in Kallen's blue eyes.

Everyone stood and only the sound of breathing rose to meet the silence. Lucire took a deep breath before letting it out. Still no one said anything. Zero hummed a questioning sound before turning to Lucire. Kallen turned to the man also her eyes sharp and telling of her opinion. Only Lucire sat still, face unwavering with his eyes downcast and breath withheld. "You are whoever you want to be. I brought you back so you could."

Lucire's words rang like the bells after a funeral in Lelouch's mind. Clear and yet deafening. Lucire finally lifted his head to the staring eyes and stretched his back in an attempt to become more comfortable. "I am your friend Luke and I will have your back no matter what you decide. I wanted to keep you safe. You deserve so much more than this world would give you, with that name." Lucire lapsed his attention as he searched for the right words.

"What is going on here." Zero asked reaching for the back of his mask. A mechanism chattered as the mask slid up from it's back to release it's wearer's head. A disheveled mass of brown hair emerged from the mask and Zero removed his guise to reveal what becoming the icon had taken from him. Suzaku eyes now garnered purple bags showcasing his fatigue and lack of sleep. A short crop of facial hair hung below his lower lip in a well kept mustache-less goatee and Lelouch thought it made him look much older than he knew the Japanese man was.

"I suppose the charade has come to an end." Lucire sighed in disappointment from behind a sorrowful frown. Lelouch positioned himself next to his red-headed companion and focused on Lucire as he prepared to let everyone in on the true of the situation.

"I saved Lelouch after you stabbed him. I am much like your previous companion C.C in the fact that I am an immortal, it is because of that fact that I was able to bring you back from the dead. You see the reason you couldn't remember anything is because you did actually die. My ability to raise you from that eternal slumber doesn't stop it's effect on your brain tissue. It seems that I was too late to save your memories and that deterioration also diminished your eye's ability to take in light, the surgery was to fix your nicked heart not take out shrapnel. As for the journal that was something I worked on, you never kept a journal during your time as Zero." Lucire explained calmly, eyes firmly fixed on Lelouch as he listened intently to the tale.

"None of that was true?" Lelouch fumbled, lacing his hand into Kallen's as the curtain fell away revealing what he had known to be false.

"No it was. I cannot give the Geass ability to anyone, I did not achieve my immortality in the same way she had. She got it through some process I do not understand, something dealing with an alternate form of mental activity I guess you could refer to as C-World. I on the other hand was a genetic test subject almost a hundred years ago and it was due to a faulty enzyme in my bloodstream that I survived their tests. I can not give you fantastical powers but I have a few of my own, one of which is I can feel. . . live the memories of others when I share blood with them. I had to share my blood with you to make sure you had the correct enzyme to process the drugs I needed to pump into to restart your brain and body." Lucire rubbed his brachial artery on the inside of his arm as he closed his eyes in a memory.

"So you're saying Lelouch is an immortal now?" Suzaku kneaded for farther understanding.

"No. Actually I am no longer immoral either. I used the last of the compound I need to retain my eternal youth on him. The way the drug works is that it attacks the Animo acids in your cells and forces them to mutate. The enzyme molds the drug into a substrate that instead of manipulating the form of one's DNA into an unusable jumble of genetic material, it reconstructs damaged and degraded tissue. Without the abnormal enzyme your body systems would slowly cease to function and you'd slip into a coma until your total system failure kills you. My triumph was based on my body's failure to develop properly. Unlike the rest of us who were tricked into their tests I never fell into a comatose state. They. . ." Lucire stopped as his eyes twitched for a second. "Anyway, since you were already dead for about an hour you needed lots of blood and of course the enzyme before I could see if the drug would work. I need more of the drug if I am to keep my current life style but that require I get into a lab and fix the right materials together. I wouldn't make anyone else immortal even if they asked for it. It is. . . hard."

"Why would you keep the truth from me?" Lelouch wondered aloud and Lucire twinged in discomfort. Kallen squeezed his hand and kissed his check lightly forcing him to respond in turn.

"I wanted to get to know you. Learn from you. Immortality is annoying but not that bad so long as you can keep yourself busy. I wasn't sure how the drug would work on your brain but when you woke up with no memories I decided I would give you an easy lifestyle. Had you awoken with your memories I would have just followed you and seen where you could take me; I would have suggested to lay low though. I didn't know about your 'requiem' plans until we shared them, your memories. Afterwards I realized how much you sacrificed for the good of others and figured you didn't deserve to be manipulated into a vessel for my entertainment. You deserve so much more than this world would give you and I felt compelled to fix that."

Everyone stood motionless, all waiting for more but unwilling to ask. Lelouch dropped his gaze to Kallen's hand which clutched lovingly onto his own. He inspected her appearance stopping on her blouse and glasses as he admired her beauty. "You didn't tell me, to protect me?" Lelouch whispered to her and she bit her lip in guilt.

"I am sorry Lelouch, I was just so happy that you were back. I-I" she bit back her thought and turned to face him fully. "I think you are wonderful and no one outside of us can see that."

Suzaku scratched his beard lightly as he forcefully relaxed his shoulders from the tensed position they had risen to during the explanation. His hands traced the outlines of the headpiece as he pondered something unsaid. "You know I figured the man in Hokkaido was just a unfortunate fool cursed with your image but I see that Nunnally was right."

Lelouch lost his current thought in that moment. "Nunnally? You mean Le- my sister?" Lelouch questioned a hint of confusion sown in his face. "Is that why you are here?"

"Sort of, yes. She was coming to Japan to meet you. She is convinced if she can meet. . . well you, she can finally say goodbye to her brother properly. You _do_ want to meet her don't you?" Suzaku prodded as he reattached his helm to the costume with a series of clicks.

"I. . ." Lelouch studied Kallen's hand in his own and paused to consider what HE wanted. _Kallen is the one thing that I could remember. I don't want to be a pain to Lelouch's sister, my sister. . . If she found me and I couldn't remember anything about her it would hurt as much as watching someone you love die. . . again. God I am a terrible person. _"No, I don't."

Zero hummed a disappointed sound of understanding, where Lucire lowered his head and smiled a sly smile of appreciation. Lelouch brought Kallen's hands to his lips and pecked it gently. Kallen leaned in and breathed "You sure?" to which he nodded and slipped his hand from hers. His hand dove into his pocket as he realized how much colder it became in the absence of her warmth.

"She is landing tomorrow. She plans on visiting Kallen and Milly here before heading to Hokkaido." Zero added regaining his regal atmosphere.

"So that is why you are here?" Lelouch inquired slipping off his over shirt and wrapping around Kallen's shoulders. Kallen eyed him from behind the frames of her cosmetically applied glasses in surprise. Her hand pulled it completely over her as breathed deeply of his scent, a satisfied sigh eased out of her parted lips. Lucire and Zero both fixed a puzzled gaze onto Kallen and she blushed an embarrassed pink.

"I came to talk to them. Finding you was a startling surprise I really didn't need." Zero quoted before turning towards the door. "He never can be just himself. What is it with this man and wearing masks?" Zero remarked while turning to meet Lucire's gaze one last time.

"Coming from you that's funny," affirmed Lucire, "We're all suppose to be dead. We have to wear a mask, we wouldn't want the people to believe the dead walk once more." Zero gave an amused grunt and spun away from him. "And make sure she doesn't find out about this little meeting." Zero waved his hand in acknowledgment.

Zero began his way to the door shouting "Kallen call me tomorrow so we can plan for your visit with the Empress." Kallen reclaimed her composure and nodded in agreement, more to herself than to the man who had reminded her. Before Zero started his decent into the building he halted and slid his head to view them. "And Lelouch. . . I am glad you are alright." as Zero continued on down the stairs Lucire sighed and stepped away from Lelouch in a sign of distancing himself.

* * *

Lelouch walked over to her as she started to wonder what must have been going through his mind. "I am glad you are still by my side. Even if I am who I was then or who I am now. Thank you Kallen." He whispered just at the threshold of her hearing and she felt choked up. _Always. . . because I love you._ She thought it but couldn't say it. Not just yet. She took him up in a loose embrace and held back the desire to bring her forehead to his. She wanted to be touching, forehead to forehead, nose to nose, and be that much closer. He returned the the favor by firmly clasping his arms around her waist and he pulled her closer to the point where her head rested upon his chest. "So what do I call you know?"

"Lucire, please" the nameless man instructed and Lelouch snorted annoyed.

"She was talking to me." Lelouch hissed slightly annoyed but his anger fizzled out at a soft laugh from the woman in his arms.

"Sorry, do you mind if I still call you Luke? Or would you rather be call you by your past life's name?"

"Luke is fine but," He stopped his thought short and loosened his hold on Kallen and as she gazed up into those beautiful violet and blue eyes he finished to her, "please call me Lelouch." Kallen beamed up at him and she places her lips upon his to tell him she agreed.

"Hehe," Lucire giggled softly and removed his gaze from the lovers, "You know I am a lot better at having your back than your Knight of Zero ever could." Kallen tried to ignore him but the line seemed so odd in her mind as she was lip-locked with her rekindled past love. Lelouch groaned a curious sound as he retreated from her answer. "Hell I brought you back. Zero, he is a man of deceptions, I am the real man of miracles."

Lelouch laughed boisterously as he retracted from Kallen and turned to face Lucire again. "Maybe. . . but I have my beautiful bodyguard again and that's more than enough protection for me." Kallen couldn't hide her smile as she lowered her head and snickered. _I am glad he thinks so, _pinged through her mind as he wrapped his arm in hers and he grinned at her. "Let's get out of here, I got a day with you before I gotta hide indoors and I don't wanna miss a moment of it."

* * *

**Welcome back dear readers! Lots of jokes thrown in at the end about Zero and Suzaku, as well as Lucire trying to stay on Lelouch's good side. So, Anyone have an opinion on Lucire yet? Love him, Hate him, Want him gone? Give me a PM and give me you're honest opinion because after this chapter he doesn't have much more time in the story and I am debating what his fate shall be at the moment.**

**Hey Strike, what's so evil? I am very confused and a little sad. It's not that evil, it's just a little evil. . .**

**Anyway, send me a PM if you have any questions and I wanna thank you for following my story. This goes to you too ****Kuroinekomata****, Thank you. It's truly flattering to think people like my writing. Thank you very much.**

**And. . . As Always!  
Keep on reading and always stay classy!**


	9. Behind Blue Eyes

**And now a message from our Disclaimer. . .  
DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN CODE GEASS OR ANY OF THE RIGHTS TO IT'S CHARACTERS!  
. . . Awesome, now watch out for Limes, Lemons aren't here yet but they MIGHT show up soon. . .**

* * *

**CHAPTER NINE****:** Behind Blue Eyes

Kallen checked her phone for the time, reading _11:49._ Standing next to her, Lelouch draped his arm over her shoulder as they waited for the crosswalk to chime it's familiar tune. In this part of town it seemed common place to see a young couple in the throes of youthful romance, but for Kallen it seemed odd show off her new taken status. Lucire left shortly after the meeting with Zero in order to prepare for a visit from Lelouch's sister and Kallen took the chance to enjoy the day with her love. Lelouch hummed an unknown tune as they remained invisible to those around them although they were in plain sight. Kallen had always wanted to have a day like this but it came to a shock to her how no one had noticed the pair.

"Kallen, what's the matter?" Lelouch whispered into her ear, a light kiss following the question. She tried to ignore the giggles from the four girls who resided to her left and turned to meet his eyes; so blue yet still able to make her heart race from it's attentions, even without the violet depths.

"It's just that-" She hesitated letting her mind wonder for the right words. When they didn't find their way to her lips she gave up on thinking about it and kissed him firmly on his lips. Lelouch gasped in surprise but his eyes glazed over in enjoyment and understanding before Kallen parted with a contented smirk. "It doesn't matter, I am just happy we can be together like this today." A gasp from one of girls brought his head up but she didn't plan on breaking her gaze.

The song of the cross walk rung loudly for a few moments and Lelouch hummed along to the beat as they crossed the street. The girls made they noisy way past them and headed left down the sidewalk towards the mall, an older gentleman crossed the opposite direction and smiled warmly at the sight of Lelouch's arm hoisted around Kallen's neck in a sign of romantic proclamation of being with her. Kallen wondered what her old friends would say if they saw her with a man like this and she blushed lightly with a hidden smile. Lelouch didn't seem in a hurry to get anyway quickly and Kallen enjoyed the time alone; Lucire told her to make him happy and she intended to do just that, though she thought he meant it in a sexual way. _That is not going to happen. . . anytime soon. . ._ Kallen laughed at herself for playing along for once. Their aimless walking didn't bother her, even though they had agreed to start with lunch she wasn't all that hungry after eating the left over bagels from Lucire's earlier procurement run.

The fact of the matter was she had a day of him all to herself before she had to host his sister and the thought made her smile grow. _This is gonna be a busy week but I am gonna try to enjoy this as much as possible, _Kallen mused as she brought his hand to her mouth and kissed his knuckles. He hummed a pleased sound as they turned a corner towards a small outlet of eateries. She knew the area very well and didn't honestly know which of the Britannian and Japanese mixed restaurants to patron. _What might he want?_ She pondered as she inspected the buildings for a sign to grab her attention. One of the windows caught her eye, but it wasn't what was inside that she marveled at but it's reflection; they looked like a pair of lovers. They looked gorgeous together, like they belonged with one another and Kallen couldn't stop a surprised moan from escaping her lips. He looked gorgeous in the black designer shirt and faded jeans, and she thought she looked elegant in her outfit with him wrapping his arm over her.

Lelouch stopped and followed her gaze to the window, she viewed him smile through the reflection and blushed a brighter shade of red. He turned to her and cupped her chin in his hand and made sure she could see his face. Her heart skipped a beat as it frantically tried to follow her racing mind.

"You look absolutely gorgeous Kallen, the glasses are a nice touch." Lelouch flattered as he stroked the side of her face with the back of his hand. She didn't know what to do with her hands as she debated whether to succumb to her desire to kiss him despite the watching eyes or whether to break eye contact and keep walking in order to clear her head of his compliment. His eyes softened as his hand reached her glasses and he lifted them off of her nose. "You don't need these, I already think you're eyes are more than beautiful enough without them." He grinned as he lightly settled them onto his own face. "So what are you in the mood for?"

_Your lips against mine,_ Kallen jokingly thought, only slightly happy for the change of subject. She didn't mind being romantic with him but in public she wasn't sure if she could willingly show off her affections. "Well I chose last night, why don't we get something you like?"

"I don't know what I like." Lelouch grumbled in upset tone when she knew was just for show.

"Oh yeah, that could be a problem. Looks like you're in my neck of the woods." Kallen jovially purred into his ear and he slipped the glasses off. She strolled next to him arm wrapped around his as she lead him towards a little restaurant at the end of the block.

* * *

The fact he was alive hadn't slipped passed the girl. She had been his keeper in a way, and the contract they had kept connected them in more ways then she let on. Had he been dead like the world believed then she would have been able to talk to him through their connection in C-world.

The green haired woman wore a red jacket, tight blue jeans and a wide brimmed tan sun hat and in her hand rested a slice of pizza; shrimp and pepperonis spotted the cheese surface. She monitored the couple leave the Britannian sandwich shop from the second floor of the adjacent building and she rose an eyebrow in slight amusement. She thought it silly that they would walk arm in arm after all the pain they put each other through. Her partner always proved dense when it came to understanding a woman's feelings. He never realized how she felt for him either but that was also partly her fault. _Lelouch, why didn't you find me like we planned? _She asked herself as he and his former 'guard turned fling' rounded the corner and disappeared from her gaze. C.C. sighed as she closed her box of pizza and picked it up as she began tailing them again.

She was suppose to meet up with him after he got out of the hospital; however, he wasn't suppose to actually die. He had told Suzaku to kill him but they had actually arranged to meet up after Jeremiah brought him to the surgeons; unfortunately Suzaku's aim with a sword far surpassed their expectations and the damage was far too great. She mourned the lose of her demon in her own little way as she waited patiently for him to cross over into C-world and contact her from there. When she didn't feel him anymore she knew something had happened, how he severed their link she did not know but she knew the only way that could happen is if he died but didn't cross into C-world. After some time of waiting and wondering she heard the excited whispers of her demon's return. He was alive and in hiding, though he didn't hide well enough it seems. She wondered how he wound up in Hokkaido, and why he lived with another man when they could have been together. She arrived in Hokkaido too late it seemed, as he and his new puppet had left for Tokyo earlier in the afternoon and now she was stuck watching another woman escort him around the city.

Kallen hadn't noticed her yet and C.C. thought it humorous that she lost her soldier senses so quickly after the requiem. She should have been spotted by now but then again she grew increasingly efficient in hiding over the last few years. She found them again waiting for traffic to stop so they could cross, and C.C.'s golden eyes rested heavy on Lelouch's face seen only slightly as he turned his head towards Kallen. _I wonder what he is up to this time around,_ C.C.'s internal monologue rose as she tried to read his lips. They were heading towards a tall red and gray building with large paneled lettering giving titles of movies and times for their presentations. C.C. hummed a noise of curiosity as she quietly stalked them. She crept into a lightly occupied office building about a block away that held a good view of the cinema, climbed two flights of stairs and then found a window ledge to sit against and eat the remains of her pizza upon.

She knew extremely little about what had happened between Lelouch arriving into the hospital and his appearance in Hokkaido but she was determined to find out. C.C. waiting patiently for her chance to speak with either Kallen or Lelouch privately and find out what they were up to as she bit into another triangle of pizza. If nothing else she told herself she could help them. Her personal curiosity spawned from being out the loop of Lelouch's plans for the first time since they'd met and it seemed extremely odd to her that he would purposely leave her out of it. _We no longer are under our previous contract, perhaps I need to get him into a new one_, She noted as she watched them enter the theater. As she waited and quietly munched her second slice before moving on to the few slices of pizza she had yet to consume as she ventured a few questions to herself about Lelouch's supposed 'roommate' in Hokkaido. _Why did Lelouch go to him for protection? Who was he anyway? What could he possible have done to gain more trust than I?_

"What are you up to Lelouch?"

* * *

Kallen and Lelouch sat through the science fiction film and left feeling relaxed and in Kallen's case a bit flustered. They didn't follow much of the movie, most of the time their hands were tracing patterns upon each other's and the occasional kiss ruined any chance for her to concentrate on the film about giant bugs invading some city guarded by some military force that employed futuristic knightmare frames. . . Or at least that's what she thought the movie was about. _Damn Lelouch, he he. . ._ Lelouch seemed in high spirits as they headed back towards the academy, her several steps ahead of him. He had mentioned that he wanted to relax a bit and truly get settled into his new room before they went out to get dinner together. The fact that he lived there before hadn't changed his claim that it felt odd living in the academy's private residence.

They walked together slowly all they way back, and she never realized it before but she really enjoyed hearing him talk, his voice soothed her like nothing else could. She added little comments into his conversation but she welcomed his voice easing into her ears; hearing him discuss the movie and the afternoon with her caused her to smile inside. They had reached the gates by the time he had finally finished describing his strategy for defending a city against invaders and she laughed at the fact he kept that going all the way back to the academy. _Same old Lelouch._

"You know you are really cute when you discuss strategy." Kallen poked as they passed the iron entryway.

"What?!" Lelouch shot back looking hurt, "I don't think so." He pushed her lightly away in mock-anger. "You know. . . you think that about me all the time, not just when I am planning." He joked as he turned towards her and back peddled down the white stone pathway leading to the academy. There were a few teenagers hanging out around the fountains but compared to a normal school day, the quad held very little noise and foot traffic.

"Really now?" Kallen inquired with a sly and sultry look she put onto her face to match his coy and playful demeanor. She grabbed his arm and turned him forward as they reached the stairs and tried to slide past the assortment of guys and girls huddled near the far end of the fountain without being noticed. "I could swear you were a bit more than cute the rest of the time. I might even call you sexy." Kallen offered up embarrassed that she'd summoned enough courage to say it.

Lelouch stammered at the compliment and blushed before lowering his head with a toothy grin held on his face. "Come on Kallen," he advised as he held the door wide open for her. He'd been doing that everywhere they went today and his gentlemanly acts made her feel giddy and quite flattered. _I could really get use to this, _she mused as she passed him into his new homestead. "I need to relax for a bit, that is too much walking for a wounded man." He quipped but the words began to worry Kallen.

"Wounded? Are you alright?"

"Yeah I will be fine, just my chest hurts a bit." He confirmed as he lead the way into his room and begun removing his arms from the black top. Kallen started to turn away but her curiosity caused her to glance back his way as he removed his shirt. Two scars outlined previous pains on his chest and upon seeing them she furrowed her brow. One scar stood out slightly to the left of his sternum as a vertical looking column of pale pink scar tissue, the other scar appeared under his left clavicle as a thin pale white set of lines from what she did not know. She locked onto them with her eyes and became horrified as she realized that the largest one still hurt from when he was stabbed by Suzaku.

"Are you sure you're fine? I didn't realize it still hurt. I am so sorry Lelouch, I made you walk around all day." She apologized eyes still upon the blemished flesh.

"Don't worry about it, I really wanted to go out with you today and these won't stop me from being with you." He eased as he sat on the bed and looked into her eyes which finally slide away from his marked breast. She crossed the room to the bed as sat next to him, frown still bared as she inspected his bare torso gauging the damage the sword and surgery had done to his body. Something inside her compelled her to bring her hand to his chest and trace the scars lightly with her fingers, she hadn't even realized that she'd actually done it until Lelouch moaned lightly in pain.

"Oh Lelouch, I am so sorry! Forgive me, I didn't mean to hurt you." She begged him as her face burned in embarrassment. She couldn't look at him but she felt his eyes upon her.

"I didn't say you could stop." He rumbled a low growl of want. Her eyes shot to his as he smiled exotically at her, "I can handle the pain, it actually felt really nice," he said sexily to her as his hands found their way to her shoulders. _That wasn't pain it was pleasure? _Kallen's mind raced, she wasn't sure what to do, he asked her to do it and she wasn't sure if she really wanted to anymore. Her fingers stilled for a second before regaining their momentum and she began fingering his sword scar again. He panted lightly and she wondered how much longer she ought to play on his sensitive skin. _I shouldn- ah!_

Before she could stop her movement Lelouch grabbed her, pushed her down to the bed and kissed her firmly. His hands found their way to her ample but covered breasts and she became stiff in worry. _Oh god, I didn't see this coming. What do I do?!_ Her panic increased as his phone began to ring from the foot of the bed but remained there, ignored. He deepened his kiss and his hands began to massage her chest firmly which forced her to suck in a quick breath and shiver. She closed her eyes and tried to enjoy this moment, _I CAN stop him if he goes too far, but I am enjoying this. . . perhaps it's okay if. . . _Kallen's thoughts snapped off as he retracted his hand from her breast and he pulled away from her face. The phone chirped happily that it had missed a call and Lelouch gasped as he tried to rein in his sexual desires.

"I'm sorry Kallen, I am just. . . That was a bit much." He laughed a bit embarrassed. She ran the experience through her head as she drudged up a smile from underneath him, telling him with her eyes it was okay. She sat up and leaned into him as she debated whether to tell him the same thing he had said to her. _Can I really tell him that, I didn't tell Him to stop? _Cowering at the thought of it, she sighed lightly dismissing the idea. She wanted something but she was too proud to beg for it.

"No, it's alright. Hey, who called you?" Kallen ventured as he reached for the now silent device.

"Uhhh. . . It's a unlisted number. No message either." Lelouch responded as he stood and searched his bag for a new shirt to wear. Kallen shrugged and gave him a close lipped smile, _I suppose this is for the best. . ._

* * *

C.C. put down the phone receiver and smiled. _I may have lost to Kallen but that doesn't mean I can't still have fun at their expense. . ._

* * *

**Hello ello! I really had a lot of fun writing this chapter and I hope it shows. It's the first chapter that I let Lelouch and Kallen really be romantic with each other and the Introduction of C.C. into the story ended up being a lot more fun to write than I expected!**

**I wanna give a thanks to ****Phantomace13****. He is a writer, if you don't know, and it is from reading his story that I got to have so much fun with C.C. If you haven't checked it out yet look at his story Kallen of the Recurrence, It is based off of ****DW77****'s idea/story the Red Recurrence. Both are awesome but I read Kallen of the Recurrence first and I got the C-world connection idea from him. ****Hinks32**** and ****Fundin1**** have just joined in on the story and I wanna say hello and welcome. Love the following, thanks a lot guys.**

**Man I waited far to long to write this chapter but considering I was messing with editing my first few chapters before posting them I guess it's okay so long as I keep up with my goal of writing a chapter every day or two. I am very curious if you guys like how things are turning out so far? I am really having a blast with this and I certainly hope you are too.**

**You better keep it up. . .You know, keep reading and stay classy!**


	10. Tea for One

**Disclaimer?  
DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN CODE GEASS OR ANY OF THE RIGHTS TO IT'S CHARACTERS!  
. . . No sorry we're all out of disclaimer - ideas at least. . .**

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**CHAPTER TEN****:** Tea for One

Lelouch slumped into Kallen as the taxi pushed into motion. Dinner stretched an extra hour longer than it should have but Lelouch didn't mind, he surprised her with a dessert; Britannia Key Lime Pie with Raspberry sauce. Kallen instructed the driver to head to the academy first but Lelouch interrupted saying he wanted to make sure she got home safely. _She might not need it but I want to escort her to her home, It's what a gentleman would do,_ Lelouch thought with a smile though she gave him a unhappy glare._ Plus I wonder what her place looks like. . . _Lelouch added as he placed his hand lightly on her lap. Kallen seemed to have enjoyed the day and she snorted softly as she smirked at Lelouch once more. He tried hard to make sure she did enjoy it and he returned her smirk with one of his own. The only thing he was worried about was his moment of unrestrained passion. Though she didn't seem angry, it concerned him. He wanted to take things slow and do it right. _She deserves that much._

Kallen pulled him closer in a loose and possessive embrace that made his smirk grow into a wicked knowing grin. He would really have to milk this time because she wasn't going to be able to see him tomorrow. _Who knew I had to fight with my sister for Kallen's attention?_

"Hey Kallen, would it be alright if I came in for a little bit?" Lelouch cooed into her ear and Kallen loosened her grip slightly as she pull her head away to look into her eyes. Her face held a confused concern in it but her voice came out softly and calmly.

"I don't think that would be a good idea, my mom is home and we aren't use to having visitors. Why?"

"Well. I don't want this evening to be over quite yet." Lelouch admitted dropping his eyes to his hands before look at her once more. Kallen's eyes tightened as she considered what to say next. "I could just use the bathroom real quickly and then kiss you goodnight if nothing else."

"Kiss me goodnight?" Kallen stammered trying not to let her voice waver. She'd wanted that every night since he'd asked her to come back with him to Ashford Academy back on the Ikagura, back during the rebellion. That desire grew after she was captured and as she sat in a cell waiting for her 'execution'.

Lelouch laughed lightly as he put his face right next to hers, his mind and laughter stilled as he stared into her eyes. She took deep breathes through her nose as she pondered whether to say more or leave it open for him to answer. Lelouch, content to stay lost in the light blue beauty of her eyes, took a deep breath and withdrew from the closeness they shared. "Well, yes. I mean considering how often we've done that today you think I'd let you get away with out one last kiss? Or is it that you don't think you're mom will approve of me?"

"No!" Kallen shot slightly angry that he'd play that card after saying something so sweet. _Manipulative bastard. . ._ "It's not that at all, I am sure she would love to meet you." Kallen paused as they cab rocked to a halt at a red light only two blocks away from her apartment. "I have just never had any of my friends from school into my new place."

"Oh." Lelouch played the situation through his head a few times and nodded realizing how this might look from her mother's prospective. He retreated to his side of the vehicle and turned his attention to the street signs trying to memorize the names for later recollection. Kallen slide her hand across the soft patted middle seat to wrap her fingers around his hand resting upon his lap. Though he thought it sweet his mind remained wrapped up in how to handle meeting her mother.

"If you have to use the bathroom to wash up that'd be fine but if nothing else it'd be nice if you'd walk me to my door."

That statement pulled Lelouch's eyes back into the car and he found her only a few inches away lightly smiling with a faint blush marking her checks in the streaming light from the passing street lamps that flooded over the darkness of the backseat. "Why would I wanna do that? I may be a gentleman but who ever said you were a lady?" Lelouch joked trying to get her to laugh and pull away so he could have a bit of space while his brain worked out his newest plans for the evening.

"You bastard," Kallen, face flaming in quick anger, fumed as she punched his arm lightly to burn a bit of angst but the smile returned to her face when she saw he smile back at her, "I am a lady! It is you who needs to work on being more respectful."

"Of course I do. I tried, oh so hard for you." Lelouch squeezed out between his laughs. "But I believe ladies wouldn't strike someone else because they were angry." Kallen opened her mouth to protest but Lelouch grabbed her shoulders tugged her down twisting her slightly so that her head now rested his lap face up to see his face and full smile. He thought it must feel awkward considering the seat belt now pulled lightly for her to return to her original position but he wanted to do this before she could say anything else. He brushed the strands of hair that now obscured her face due to his vigor in pulling her down and he gazed lovingly into her eyes, "Even though you would hit me, you are my lady. And I wouldn't change that for anything." He cemented his feelings on that with a long kiss on her lips. She was blushing profusely once he parted from her quivering lips and he couldn't fight his urge to kiss her again but this time he angled his face so he could kiss her forehead.

"You guys better not be getting too frisky back there," called the dusky masculine voice of the driver as he pulled them to a stop. "Besides, we're here."

Kallen bolted up and returned to seating normally but her face was down and red from embarrassment. Lelouch also had his shame written on his face but he just tried to laugh as if he had done nothing wrong. Kallen give him another thwack, this time on his knee, for causing them to get admonished but Lelouch just gave an apologetic smile and opened his door.

* * *

Kallen jingled her keys as they unlocked the latch with an audible chirped. Slowly opening the door she slide her shoes off as she held the door open for Lelouch to go in first. Kallen had enjoyed the day and wished she could do it again tomorrow but the thought, _how often does one get to entertain royalty,_ slide through her mind. Lelouch shimmied his way past her and slipped his shoes off and set them lightly against the wall away from the door. Kallen heard the sounds of her mother working in the kitchen and a pit formed in her stomach due to her unease. Kallen breathed deeply to force the nervousness out of her system but Lelouch didn't seem to worry; he just leaned forward and kissed her check. It startled her at first but it actually made her feel a bit better as she pushed herself into motion towards the sounds of clinking porcelain and ceramic.

"Welcome home Kallen" her mother called from over her shoulder, she was in front of the sink and was filling a glass with water as Kallen and Lelouch came to a halt at the entrance of the tiny kitchen.

"I'm home mom," Kallen timidly replied as she made room for Lelouch to stand next to her. Her mother turned setting down the glass and gave Kallen and Lelouch a surprised smile. Kallen hope grew at the sight and she sighed quietly in relief.

"Hello there, I didn't realize I'd be having company. I'm Kallen's Oka-san." She breathed happily as she bowed slightly to Lelouch and her daughter. "Come on in." She said gesturing towards the small square table next to pantry.

"Thank you very much for letting me come in so late," Lelouch answered respectfully mimicking her bow, "I am Luke, it's a pleasure to finally meet you." Kallen lead him to a chair as she marveled and how polite Lelouch seemed; she thought his attempt to impress her mother came from his actual desire to be accepted by the woman. _How cute._

"Kallen would you and your friend like some tea?" She asked and Kallen slid her seat to the corner next to her guest. Kallen nodded as she lowered herself into the chair and she became lost in thought as Lelouch and her mother struck up a polite conversation. _Thank goodness she is having a good day, I was afraid she might freak out if I brought a man home. _Kallen added a soft 'hmmmm' and 'uh huh' to the conversation from time to time but her real attention resided on how she would like Lelouch to stay longer. _Perhaps I could. . ._ Kallen shook herself lightly as she tried to return her thoughts from the memory of her and Lelouch on his bed from earlier that afternoon.

Lelouch stood up and stretched his arms over his head as he removed himself from the table. "I hope you don't mind but I actually need to use the restroom, is that alright?" Kallen steeled her expression as she moved out of the way for him and nodded.

"You may, it's the last door down the hallway" Kallen's mother answered as she began to move the near boiling water away from the stove and to the counter. Lelouch thanked her by inclining his head slightly and he strolled down the hallway. After the door clunked shut, Kallen sighed lightly and matched her mothers radiant smile with one of her own. "So that is the boy you were out with today?"

"Oh yeah." Kallen admitted lightly blushing under her mothers knowing gaze. Kallen eased deeper into the chair as she continued on, "We had a pretty fun day today, between lunch, a movie, some shopping and dinner I think we both had a good time."

"I can see that, I haven't seen you this happy since Naoto took you and Ohgi camping." Kallen smiled at the memory of her brother and Ohgi fishing for their dinner that night only to have Kallen catch all the fish. "And he is awfully handsome." She added forcing a light giggle to raise from Kallen. "He is even more handsome in person that he looked on television." Kallen's laughs came to a choking halt and she froze at that comment. Turning her horrified gaze to her mother, she struggled to speak.

"Uhhhh. . ." Kallen stammered as she fought to stay in her seat, "You knew who he was?" Her mother just smiled and nodded as she placed the pot of water in the empty sink and dropped a tea bag of chopped of leaves into it.

"I knew right away but it is okay. He is different, I can see that." She paused as she sat next to her daughter and rested her hand on top of her daughters, "and he makes you happy. That is all that matters to me." Kallen bit back the tears threatening to spill over her, _She knew and she still accepted him._ "I know you won't let him hurt you, or anyone else but be careful. Don't let him slip away this time darling." She said as she squeezed Kallen's hand in a show of support.

"I love you mom." Kallen gushed as she hugged her mother tightly. The sound of the faucet turning on then off cued Kallen that Lelouch would soon be coming back and she retracted herself from her mother. After Kallen wiped at her eyes she thought about when got her mother back back, she wasn't sure if her mother would be alright; the side affects of stopping refrain cold turkey still weren't clear. He might not remember it and she didn't know it at the time but Lelouch was the reason Kallen's mother was here and free of the drug. . . and for that she would be forever grateful on her mother's behalf.

Lelouch stumbled out of the bathroom and quickly pretended he hadn't tripped as he returned to the kitchen with a slight smirk. Kallen wore her own sly grin because of the exchange with her mom. "The tea is almost ready you two, if you'd like I can bring it to your room when it is." Kallen's mom had retreated back to the sink and checked the brew as Lelouch reached Kallen's side.

"Sure!" Kallen called as she rose from her seat, grabbed his hand and made her way towards her room. _Boy his hand is so cold, why wash your hands in cold water? _Kallen wondered as she lead the way into her bedroom. _And did my mom really just suggest we be alone? Thanks mom, _she thought blushing as she passed through the door frame. Lelouch fussed about being pulled into the room as he confusingly tried to figure out what had happened in his absence. Upon closing the door she let go of his hand and started rubbing her palm. "My god Lelouch, your hands are so cold!"

He breathed out lightly as he brought his hand to her face and inched closer, "Sure, my hands are cold but my lips are warm." Lelouch planted his lips upon hers, and she matched his intensity with her own desire to make him feel her passions. Kallen had opened her eyes slowly as she parted from him, but he still had his eyes closed as a profound and blissful smile formed on his lips.

"You know that was really corny." Kallen breathed satisfied as he fixed his blue and violet eyes onto her. Lelouch just nodded as she stifled a giggle that rose from inside of her. _He is more of a romantic that I thought._ Kallen's thoughts returned to earlier that day when they were in his room and she closed her eyes. His touch, his low voice that craved for hers, his passionate kiss and his. . . _eagerness for more, _she decided as she thought a wicked idea. _I'm going to get back at him for teasing me, this will teach him._ She pulled back to her bed as sat down unbuttoning the top button of her blouse and she blushed profusely as she gave him a sexy smirk. "Why don't we pick up where we left off?"

Lelouch didn't say anything as his eyes went panicked and he swallowed.

* * *

_Nothing ended up happening,_ Lelouch thought sourly as he finished his tea and set the ceramic cup onto the desk next to him. _Kallen's mother has rotten timing, between her and that phone call. . ._ He ceased his complaints as he looked over to Kallen who rested peacefully on top of the covers of her bed. _Resting your eyes? Yeah, so much for that._ Lelouch wondered whether he should head home, if he did he'd either have to wake her up to lock the door behind him or he'd have to leave it unlocked all night. He took off his button down over shirt and tossed in on the desk as he settled his way into the chair that accompanied the desk. He inspected the pictures she kept on the wall and couldn't help that 'butterflies in his stomach' feeling as he saw the center picture; it was him, caught looking up at the camera with a surprised smile.

"You really do love me, don't you Kallen?" Lelouch mouthed to himself as he returned his attention to her. He rose and started toward her bed, the feeling the warm brewed tea instilled within his middle settled; soothing him with the pleasant sensation. He knelt down next to her and slide her slightly to one side as pulled her covers out from under her. She stirred lightly, flipping to a new and odd position but she didn't seem to wake as he wrapped her in her blankets and quietly rested half on the bed himself. The tea actually made him rather tired, _that and all that walking we did,_ he added as he closed his eyes. He was right next to her and he could feel a loose strand of her hair on his check. _She smells how angels should. . ._ he thought as he started to drift off to join her. _The perfect woman. . ._

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Kallen awoke to the sound of light knocking on the door, and she turned to see Lelouch's face next to hers as he hung half off the bed asleep. "What the Hell?!" She shouted as she quickly shot out of her bed and jumped over him. As she looked at the clock, she found the hands pointing to the Eight and the Twelve. _Eight already! Shit, Nunnally must be the one at the door! _Kallen started throwing off her clothes as she looked for something suitable to wear for the Empress at the same time as she tried not to wake Lelouch and have him see her without clothes. . . _again,_ she thought peeved that he was still here. After getting herself settle into an old black knight uniform she modified for every day situations, she called out to the sleeping man. "Lelouch, wake up! Wake up damn it!" Lelouch barely moved but he yawned and turned to face her with sleepy eyes.

"Hey, good morning, what's with you?" He asked drowsily before standing up and sitting fully on the bed.

"I have to leave, Nunnally is already here." She gave him a worried frown as she headed for the door to her room. _It's funny,_ she mused as she looked at him again, _I get to talk with him today but this time he is here with me._ "Make sure to stay out of sight until we leave and get back to the academy right away once you leave." She warned as she opened her door but his call rocked her to a halt.

"Kallen."

"Yeah?"

"Have a wonderful day, honey."

Though he said it with a tired sarcasm, Kallen smile blossomed fully and she nodded as she pushed herself out of the room closing the door behind her.

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**AN: HEY THERE! INSERT A/N HERE. . . Just kidding, this is where I think people will start to realize what the "Hidden" agenda might be. I will tell you now I highly doubt you will guess what will actually happen but there is where the real trouble begins. Zero and Nunnally have both arrived in Japan, C.C. is working on getting into the picture and Lucire has gone away. . . We'll all survive it together but I hope you will enjoy the ride.**

**Hey there Splitice, thanks for the review and the follow, it's good to have ya along. To go off of your review there will be a whole lot going down in the next 3 chapters before it gets even a little less hectic but don't worry it is coming.  
**

**I couldn't log on to my stories today for some reason so this one will be a little late and I will be posting the new chapter in maybe another 8-10 hrs so sorry bout that and enjoy.**

**Keep reading and stay classy. . . Always classy.**


	11. (Area 11) Now and Then

**Yo ho ho, and a disclaim of. . . Ahh Sh**  
Disclaimer!  
. . .Your Characters can be Pirates, You Can't Pirate characters . . . or the show. On with the show!**

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**CHAPTER ELEVEN****:** (Area 11) Then and Now

"Kallen! Oh my goodness, it's so good to see you!" chimed the seated empress. Kallen smile from being with Lelouch still stood on her lips and she knelt down to hug her old friend. Nunnally squeezed Kallen firmly to herself as she sighed a pleased "How are you?" Zero resided behind her with his fingers possessively wrapped around the handle to her modified motorized and push-able wheel chair.

"I'm great, your highness." Kallen murmured as her gaze fell onto Suzaku hidden behind the mask of black, purple and gold; he nodded as way of greeting but said nothing.

"Oh Kallen, you can call me Nunnally. You and Nina need to start calling me by my name." Nunnally instructed, releasing Kallen from her grasp and she threw on a fake injured look. "At least Milly calls me Nunnally still." Zero hummed to get the ladies attentions as he turned the chair and started down the hallway towards the entrance of the apartment building.

Kallen followed suit and opened the door for the pair as they made their way to the street and to a waiting black limousine with a Britannian and Japanese flag fixed to the spoiled. As Zero pressed a button on the side of his mask he mumbled into it and the door they were standing in front of swung open and a motorized ramp slid onto the curb. To Kallen's surprise there were no escort vehicles around to follow the modified limo on their trip around the town, Kallen figured that having Suzaku and Kallen there was enough security for the empress; however, she believed no one would wanna attack her in the first place and risk hurting not only her but Zero the 'savoir of the world' as well. Zero assisted Nunnally aboard the vehicle before sliding out of the way for Kallen to board as well. Kallen passed him and entered the spacious interior of the car sitting next to Nunnally with a happy expression, then Zero closed the door and moved to the passenger door of the car. _Why would he sit all the way up there? Suzaku. . ._

"I'm very happy you'd come out with me, I have a few plans for us today if that's okay with you." Nunnally informed Kallen as their car pushed into motion. Kallen nodded quietly and Nunnally continued, "I would love to see Tokyo Tower with my own eyes. I also plan on having tea with Milly at the Academy." Kallen took in a deep breath in order to stay calm after hearing about the Ashford. _If Lelouch doesn't get there soon enough we're gonna have a tough time keeping him undetected, _Kallen noted to herself, _This might end up like the last time except instead it won't be keeping C.C. from being seen by Suzaku. It was tough that time, this could be worse if he's spotted. WHY DO I HAVE TO BE THE SECRET KEEPER?! _Kallen berated as the car made a turn and she snapped out of her mental complaining. "After that I wanted to go shopping, I have to pick out a new outfit and I rarely get to go shopping, that is If you'll be my guide." Nunnally ended with a cheery smile and Kallen's gaze landed on her bright violet eyes. Those eyes matched her brother's for both beauty and kindness though Kallen was sure she was the only one who saw those qualities from Lelouch's gaze. Kallen thought about how different his eyes looked now having only a fraction of the purple peering out of the blue contacts but she knew that his eyes and those of his sister remained the one color in the world she wished she could see every moment of the day.

"Uh of course," Kallen mouthed trying to snap out of the trance she'd fallen into by staring at the young woman. "Why do you wanna go shopping? You have a lot of people who can make you something beautiful right?" Nunnally smirked at the question and leaned closer to Kallen.

"I want to get something nice from Tokyo to remember my trip mostly, but I also want something nice to wear when I head to Hokkaido to meet the man who looks like my brother." Nunnally admitted and Kallen frozen, thoughts snapping back to why she was really in Japan. _Crap, how could I forget._

"You really want to visit him? I thought they buried. . ." Kallen couldn't finish the line, not wanting to lie to her friend.

"Yes," Nunnally sighed lips sinking into a frown, "he is dead, but I really want to see my brother's face one last time. To say good bye properly." Kallen's eyes tightened as she gripped Nunnally's shoulder in an attempt to comfort her. Kallen wanted so badly to tell her the truth, to scream she knew the real story and that they could all have tea together. . . But Lelouch didn't want to see her; Kallen eyes were swimming due to the conflicting desire to make them both happy. Nunnally turned her gaze up to Kallen and turned her lips up in a sorrowful smile, upon seeing Kallen's emotions swirling she added, "You loved my brother, didn't you Kallen." Shocked and feeling slightly numb Kallen nodded; even if Nunnally hadn't asked the question, she needed to answer. Nunnally needed to know that her brother wouldn't die, or as it seemed now live, unloved by anyone but her.

Kallen's voice shook as she stumbled for the words, "Yes. . . I really did love Lelouch." Kallen's eyes leaked out a tear as the weight of it all landed on her; she wasn't crying for Lelouch, it was for Nunnally who may never get to tell her brother in person how she felt about him, or how much she loved him ever again. Nunnally hummed a soothing tone as she gave a tightly squeezing hug to her weeping friend. Kallen hugged her back wishing she could be happy that Nunnally would see her brother again once she went to Hokkaido but she knew better, he wouldn't be there.

"It's okay Kallen, it makes me glad to her that you did. I don't think he was as evil as he made it seem. He did terrible things but it was so we could be where we are now, I'm sure of it." Nunnally said brushing Kallen's red locks of hair as the woman pulled herself back together. Kallen slowly pieced her regular personality back in order as she listened to Nunnally's coaxing assurances. _I'm sorry Nunnally, I can't betray Lelouch's trust, not again, _Kallen apologized internally as she retreated to her chair fully.

"Yeah, I know he wasn't." Kallen said under her breath before she straightened and threw on a smile for her guest. "I could use some cheering up and I know just the woman to do it with. You wanna grab Milly and have her come with us to Tokyo Tower? We can get tea after that." Nunnally beamed at Kallen and stuck out her hand with only her pinky finger extended.

"Sounds wonderful, it's a promise!" The tiny empress excitedly chimed and Kallen took her finger with her own. Both women laughed while they shook and in time lost themselves in the throes of friendly reminiscing over their time together at school, time they had with Lelouch.

* * *

Lelouch sat still, pleasantly tired as he now lay in Kallen's bed letting the minutes grow into hours. He loved how her pillow spiced the air with her fragrance and for a second when he had his eyes closed it was like she was lying there with him. Since he didn't have any plans for today he remained in her room toying with the idea of just waiting for her to come back so he can kiss her goodnight again and then head back to the school like he had planned to do the night before. For the first time that he could remember his brain wasn't looking for an explanation for the events around him and he relished the silent contentment he was experiencing. _BZZZT-BZZZZT_. . . What the hell is that? Lelouch thought as his eyes fluttered opened in annoyance. He rose from the bed slowly drawing his phone out of his pocket and glaring at the outside screen. _An Unlisted Number Again?_ Sliding the phone back into his pocket he fell back onto the bed to resume his pleasant wary state but found he could not fully regain that blessed and rested status.

Looking to the ceiling he felt an overwhelming desire to call Kallen but knew she was out with his sister, _Calling would probably get us in trouble_. Lelouch picked up his black shirt from the desk he had set it on the night before and started to drape it over his shoulder as he staggered towards the door. His leg muscles voiced their wariness as he opened the door and closed it behind him. Kallen's mother sat in front of the television, and she coughed slightly startled when she found that she was not alone in the apartment. She eyed him speculatively as he started buttoning up his over shirt and he cleared his throat, trying to purge the tension he knew his was exuding.

"I didn't hear you leave but I didn't realize you had stayed either." The woman shot glancing him up and down. "You were safe about it?" She joked and Lelouch blushed profusely.

"We didn't do anything like that, I wouldn't." Lelouch affirmed red face stricken.

"Well why wouldn't you? My Kallen is a beautiful young woman." She pointed out with a slight smile.

"That's not what I meant. I-" Lelouch paused looking for the right way to explain his way out of this particular situation. "I feel silly because I feel a sleep after finishing my tea. It was warm and relaxing and Kallen wore me out with all the walking we did yesterday."

Kallen's mother giggled as brought her hands to her lips to cover her growing smile. "You know I think she's right, you are really cute when you're embarrassed. I should try to embarrass you both more often." Lelouch huffed at that and she brought her hand down to the couch's armrest, "It's alright, I know you didn't do anything bad. _Sleepy Time Tea_ tends to put people to sleep like that. Just take care of her, okay?"

With that Lelouch grinned and strolled his way past the television and towards the door. "I will, I promise." He vowed as he waved to her and exited the apartment with a soft audible click.

* * *

Milly finished pouring her own glass of tea as Kallen peered at her dark reflection in the cup of tea. Nunnally and Kallen spend two hours at Tokyo Tower enjoying the view and each others company before heading to meet Milly at the Academy. Since Milly couldn't meet them earlier Kallen squeezed as much as time out of the trip as she could, hoping by the time they returned to the school that Lelouch would have arrived and be settled in - well out of sight. Though she focused on giving him as long as he needed, Kallen thoroughly delighted in sight seeing with _her_ _boyfriend's_ sister. Nunnally relished the ability to look over the beauty that the renewed city shown and the fact that Kallen shared in helping her witness it for the first time in her life. Nunnally now rested only meters away at a white granite table deep within the newest garden addition to the Ashford Academy campus.

"Milly, you should have seen what the city looks like from up there, that and Mount Fuji! It was wonderfully gorgeous." Nunnally appraised before noisily raising her cup of tea off of it's saucer and to her lips. Sipping loudly Kallen remembered to drink her tea as well and not to think about Lelouch. _Today is my day with Nunnally, I have Lelouch for the rest of the week,_ she smiled over the idea and drank a small swig of her own tea.

"I am sorry I couldn't come out with you, I did get away from the T.V. Station thanks to the fact that Zero called ahead of time." Milly laughed with one eye open over her raised cup, throwing on a manipulative smirk before continuing, "They made him promise to give us an interview before they let me go." Kallen stifled a giggle but Nunnally let it go freely as she rested her cup back down into it's rightful place.

"Poor Zero." Kallen mentioned, cup still to her face. She thought it was humorous that he had to do that just to make Nunnally's day in Tokyo perfect.

"He is sweet, I hope it makes your rating go up Milly. I can give you a short interview later if you think it could get you in better standing with your station." Nunnally informed the reporter while giving Milly a genuine smile. Milly's eyes brightened but she shook her head, declining the offer.

"Thank you Nunnally but I wanna spend all the time together catching up and talking about the old times. I felt really silly when I found out that I had-" Milly paused to regain her focus, "been made to forget about you and Kallen. When I got them back it was soothing to remember all the good times we all had together." Kallen set her cup down as her stomach began to disagree with the idea of having more tea. She felt sick knowing the whole time about Nunnally and Lelouch when Milly had not. Jeremiah was pardoned from his crimes with Lelouch when he agreed to use his anti-geass ability to free everyone that was affected by the power from it's control; Kallen thought he hadn't gotten everyone on purpose but with the world as it was. . . But she didn't feel letting others in on the truth about Schneizel would do any good. Kallen's mind snapped back to the conversation when Milly said something she didn't expect. "So Nunnally, I have to ask. How do you feel about your brother? Honestly." Kallen glared at Milly as she speculated as to whether Milly planned on selling her and Lelouch out in order to make Nunnally happier.

"Well," Nunnally started gazing down at her tea, "He did unforgivable things to this world and I as the leader of a nation frown upon what he has done. I loved him very much though, he was my brother and as a brother he was the most wonderful person in this world. It is a shame his drive to get back at our father and take over the royal family drove him to lose himself." Milly smiled a light smile hearing Nunnally speak about her feelings for her brother but her brow was furrowed and her eyes shot an apologetic gaze to Kallen. Nunnally sucked in a deep breath then sighed out before drinking again from the tea cup.

Pulling out a large white binder from a bag she kept at her feet Milly smiled and pushed the tension out of her face. "Here you go Nunnally, I was hoping we could take a look at all the embarrassing things that we got Lelouch to do during his time here." Nunnally turned her eyes to the book and Milly opened it, revealing that the binder contained pictures of Lelouch and the other student council members doing various odd tasks and feats in strange costumes and settings.

Kallen blushed upon seeing a picture of everyone in cat outfits and Lelouch having been tied down to a chair as the other members of the student council put make up onto him. "It's a scrapbook of his most embarrassing moments?!" She blurted swinging her chair to sit aside Milly and across from Nunnally to get a better view of the photographs. Her furrowed brow smoothed as she found it impossible to withhold her laughter. She liked this side of her life. It was at that time she realized, it was the best part of her life and these moments seemed more potent now that she could relish them properly. Out of the corner of her eye she witnessed Nunnally's confused look bloom into a overwhelming grin; behind her a slight movement caught her attention and all the blood in her face drained leaving her pale. Kallen's mouth dropped and a ugly sound slipped from her and she muffled it by her hand rising up to coral it back in. . . Lelouch stood a mere twenty meters behind Nunnally causally walking down the path towards the school.

Milly drew her tea to her lips and spit the brown liquid back into her cup as her eyes trained on to his moments only seconds after Kallen eyes locked on to him. Nunnally kept ooh'ing and ah'ing over a picture of Lelouch with a blue heart shaped cap on top of his head running full speed past a group of girls with similar pink hats in hot pursuit. Milly softly jostled Kallen's arm with his elbow before loudly exclaiming to Nunnally the point of the event. Nunnally giggled looking at Milly pointing to the final picture on the page of Shirley and Lelouch standing next to each other hats exchanged. While Milly worked on keeping her attentions there, Kallen sipped her tea and fought her instincts to watch Lelouch traversing the path past them to his hiding spot. _That fool is going to ruin everything if he doesn't hurry up and get inside. WHAT TOOK HIM SO LONG TO GET BACK HERE?! _She furiously fumed as she dredged up a smile for Nunnally who gave Kallen a telling glance as if to apologize for the fact that Kallen couldn't be there to claim his hat and take her place besides him instead of Shirley. To apologize because instead of being in a relationship with Lelouch, she was stuck in a cell as a prisoner of Britannia.

Kallen picked up her cup and nodded lightly to tell Nunnally it was okay and as soon as Nunnally returned her vision to the scrapbook and flipped a page Kallen's eyes shot back to note Lelouch's progress. He entered the building with a slow casualness that ticked her off. He was in danger of ruining everything and he was gonna hear about it. . .

* * *

Lelouch settled into his old bed with a huff, _This was home, _Lelouch noted as if it meant more than he initially thought. _It feels relaxing but is it really my home right now? Can it be home again?_ His mind sifted from what little he could remember and what he knew now trying to figure if he could answer his question. His eyes shut and for a long time he searched for any scrap of a memory that spawned from this room. Nothing came to him but as he began to relax and his mind unraveled the tension in his body he felt something growing.

_A sadness?_ He murmured beneath a whisper as his brain begun to function without his direction. He couldn't process what his brain stirred up, to him they were simple picture with intense emotions tied to them. One picture struck him as odd, he kept seeing it and it made he feel sad. More than sad, his mind tugged, this feeling was akin to despair and anguish. Eyes, the color of a sickly gold with a hue of red rimming them, appeared to him with tears shedding upon blood stained cheeks and a crop of orange hair sprawled over her face. . . and the ground was sticky with her blood. He held onto that thought, hoping to keep it when he awoke. Though he didn't know what it meant he knew it was very important to him. Another faded past his subconscious as the sound of rapping on wood began to force his mind away from this flurry of painful past moments in time. . . A green-haired girl in a his bed, a long black hair man in blue reaching out to shake his hand, Piles of dead bodies in a stadium and a woman reaching for him, Kallen in a park with her hand raised as if to hit him, the violet eyes and intense stare of the empress of Britannia who sat holding a scepter all rose up through his awareness. Something shook the bed and his eyes lids flung upwards and away from the images he'd be straining to understand.

Gasping and stifling a yelp Lelouch shot up off the bed to find Kallen with a mix of anger, and surprise for scaring Lelouch, sown upon her face. Scowling at him she moved her way to his side. "Damn it Lelouch." Kallen hissed as she arrived in front of him. _Is she angry at me? What did I-_ his thought cut short as she slapped him firmly across his face and he quickly fixed his eyes to hers as pain radiated from his cheek. "You walked right past Nunnally! You could have ruined everything." Kallen eyes creased in worry and she pulled him close to her as he processed what she'd said. The silence clawed at his being as she squeezed him tightly to her, _I. . . could have ruined everything? I could have ruined us? _"I lost you once before, I don't want to again." Kallen pulled away and she gazed into his eyes, her worry easing as she continued, "You have to be smarter than this. Milly's taking Nunnally to the roof while I'm here, you have to stay out of sight for the rest of the day. Promise?"

Lelouch sat still his eyes distant, silent. Kallen's brow furrowed as she stood and shifted from foot to foot in concern. She took a breath to speak but was cut off by Lelouch standing and heading to the window. He shifted the curtains shut and went around the room making sure no one could see in. "Kallen," He said back to her and head slightly bowed, his voice was quavering and he hated that she could hear it, "I'm sorry."

Kallen took a step towards him but she rocked to a halt when she realized he tensed when he heard her step closer. "Lelouch-"

"You shouldn't leave Nunnally waiting. Just promise me one thing, can you come by later tonight. Before you go to bed, I wanna talk." Lelouch said back starting to relax from it's tensing but he still did not turn to face her. Kallen hummed a relieved yet understanding sound and walked out of the room quietly but for Lelouch he was far from relaxed; he knew what he had to do to make it up to her and he was not looking for to it. With a sigh he turned towards the door "Not at all."

* * *

**AN: Another Chapter? Another A.N. Wooooot. Hello ello! Times passes very slow in this story it seems, that's part of having more details than are probably needed but I don't mind. I hope you don't either. The story will start to feel like it is speeding up a bit from here on. First fight for the lovers, it was bound to happen do too people with their personalities. Will there be less Lemons/Limes? Perhaps but it's only been two days since they've been together soooo the 'honeymoon' MIGHT be ending soon. We'll find out. . .**

**Classy Reading? Keep at it. Staying Classy and Keep Reading the Good Stories!**


	12. Nobody's Fault But Mine

**Did you do the Disclaimer? *Crap. . .*  
Disclaimer!  
Yeah mom, did that a long time ago. . . I swear. . .**

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**CHAPTER TWELVE****: **Nobody's Fault But Mine

The sound of paper sliding against paper coaxed goosebumps out of hiding and a shiver up his spine as he turned the page of the Journal. Lelouch felt withdrawn from the world and he needed to be. He could have hurt Kallen and Nunnally this afternoon and it ticked him off that he hadn't realized it sooner. _If I'm seen I'm not just hurting myself, I will be hurting Kallen, Lucire, Milly and even Nunnally. . . _Lelouch sighed and returned his attention to the chronicled memories that he could not recall on his own. Hes eyes roved over the text looking desperately for that moment in his life. The one he couldn't put out of his mind; she was crying and dying in front of him. "Who is she?"

Page after page passed as he tried to put a name to the face, to understand. It took about an hour of intent reading before he stumbled onto it and he fastened his attention onto the entry:

_I couldn't believe Rolo killed her, She just wanted to be with me. Shirley should have stayed with Suzaku, she shouldn't have been there. Jeremiah joined me but at the cost of her death? That was too high of a cost. Those golden eyes, her hair turning red from her blood seeping around her, she looked so scared. I used my Live On geass on her but it wouldn't work, I had to watch her die and I knew I couldn't do a thing. Why does it work on Suzaku and not her? She regained her memories and died telling me how she loved me. She deserved someone loved her back, someone who could love her back. I think I have overstayed my welcome in Tokyo. It's about time I left, before I do even more damage. This is probably only the third time I've cried during this war. Never again. Goodbye Shirley._

"Shirley. . ." Lelouch murmured as he set the journal down and he reclined fully onto his bed. "I am like a leper among innocents. Cursing everyone that I touch. Even-" Lelouch took in a deep breath and a frown distorted his face as he tried to figure what would happen to Kallen if he was found out. Images of him in chains and her crying out for him as they took her away slithered into his mind. "They'd probably put her into her own living hell just for loving me" He said opening his eyes to delude the fantasy. "Euphemia and Shirley, Rolo. . . They all went through hell so I could do what I wanted. And I didn't die. He he." The irony in that last statement forced him to laugh but it was pained.

His fingers grazed the journal and he turned his gaze to it. "I need some fresh air." Lelouch rose and opened his shades then his window letting in the sunlight of late afternoon and a fresh blast of cool autumn air smelling faintly of tomato sauce and cheese. Lelouch thought it was funny how the aroma lingered from the event but since they hadn't begun to move the giant oven he figured it might stay that way until it's deconstruction. He breathed deeply the scent of pizza and sat against the wall of his room looking to his bed and that black book.

* * *

Kallen waved to Zero as he left Ohgi's office and headed towards the Limousine. Zero spent most of the afternoon speaking with Ohgi about a new treaty that would mix Japanese technology companies with Britannia's repurposed factories that were no longer creating weapons of war and needed a new product. Ohgi seemed very excited on the phone when she had called but she thought he was hiding the fact that he enjoyed being around the new 'trustworthy' zero for a man day while the girls were out and about. Zero slightly tilted his head in acknowledgment before rounding the front of the limo and sliding into the passenger seat. Nunnally sighed a satisfied yawn from underneath her new sun hat and it made Kallen smile grow larger as she noted how good it made her look. They had finished their shopping by finding a nice red and white sundress as well as a Blue and teal yukata. Nunnally didn't tell her which one planned to wear when she went to Hokkaido but Kallen was sure she would look beautiful for. . . _Lucire? Damn, I really wish I could tell her._

"Kallen, do you want to go home? I wouldn't mind spending a little more time with you but I am actually pretty tired. I had a little too much fun today." Nunnally offered as she sleepily blinked up at her friend. Kallen nodded and leaned closer to Nunnally, taking her hand in a sign of thanks and companionship.

"This was a really wonderful day, I am glad you wanted to share it with me."

"Of course Kallen, we may not be so on paper but I consider you my sister. The sister I never had." Nunnally giggled softly and put her other hand atop of Kallens and squeezed. "Had Lelouch been around you might have" She teased.

Blushing Kallen turned her eyes away and Nunnally squeezed her hand again before letting go and reaching for a switch next on the wall of the automobile. "I know, Imouto-chan" Kallen whispered with a smile before leaning back into her seat.

Nunnally hesitated and blushed saying "Onee-chan" before flipping the switch and calling out to the driver. "Take us back to Miss Kallen's apartment please." There was a little response before Nunnally disengaged the speaker and returner her attention to Kallen. They both smiled at each other as they car pushed into traffic with a hushed sound and high spirits.

* * *

Kallen opened the door to the leave and she felt something tug at her insides. _If I could see my brother one last time. . . I would give anything to see him again. _Nunnally's laugh pulled Kallen's head back into the car and she saw Lelouch's sister waving to her. She had to say something. She just couldn't hold it in.

"Nunnally." Kallen called before pausing to work out how she was going to tell her that her brother wasn't dead. He wasn't a monster. _And he didn't want to see her. . ._

"Kallen, you finally called me Nunnally again. Thank you. Promise me you'll see me again when I come back." Nunnally rang out true pleasure residing on her face. It broke Kallen's heart all over again but she couldn't say anything. Kallen nodded and sighed quietly before smiling back at her new 'sister'. "Good. Good night Kallen!"

Closing the door Kallen stood staring at the limo, arm around herself as she watched it pull away. She'd missed her chance to come clean and she knew that it was her only chance. Kallen eyes followed the limo round a corner and now that it was out of her sight her shoulders slowly relaxed and she realized she'd been clenching them. She turned towards her apartment building and started debating whether to change clothes before going back to the school to see Lelouch. She didn't wanna admit it but she worried that he took what she said a bit too harshly. She hadn't seen him look that depressed since she went to collect him for his ambush on the Ikaruga. _Then he thought he'd lost his sister, C.C. lost her memory and he had lost what kept him moving _Kallen recalled. Stepping towards the door she decided it's be best to get dressed quickly and go to him.

Her mind remained on Lelouch's state when she left and his request for her to see him tonight the whole time she walked to her apartment. She barely noticed her mother when she entered. After kissing her mother's cheek she kept thinking about it as she got changed, grabbed a glass of water and absentmindedly left, locking the door behind her. Upon opening the door to the outside the fresh cool night air slapped her out of her stupor and she stretched her legs preparing to jog the few blocks to the Academy. Her long sleeved gray jacket hung a bit long on her but it's cozy warmth felt good hanging over her middle and hips, the blue jeans fit well and didn't constrict her movements enough to inhibit her ability to run and she loved this pair. Ohgi had gotten it for her for her birthday and she thought it was a sweet gift. _Better than Tamaki's 'hand made' gloves, they were pink. Uhhhh no thanks. _Feeling her legs give a painfully delicious tug she pulled out of the stretch and begun down the road towards her school.

The shocking impacts of her feet hitting the pavement sent warming tingles through her legs and she started focusing on the rhythmic sounds of her thumping steps and her breathing entwining bringing her to a runner's high. She turned the corner and the sounds of a conversation caught her attention, at first she ignored it but as she came closer to the alleyway it was coming from she recognized one of the voices. _C.C?!_ Her shoes ground into the cement as she slide to a quick halt and she tried to process what that likely meant. Kallen crept her way to the alleyway and ducked into it before settling quietly behind a power-line pole. C.C. stood neutrally in front of Lelouch who held that confused frown on his face that he often wore when he was surprised. He appeared to be backed up into the wall like he'd been cornered and was looking for a way out. _What is he doing here? Why isn't he at the Academy?! _Kallen tried to pull in her anger but failed to do it completely. _Did he come this way to see me or. . . to see her._

"Lelouch, why didn't you come see me first?" the green haired immortal questioned, voice low and controlled.

"I don't know what you're talking about." Lelouch said bitingly.

"You know exactly what I am talking about. You don't make a plan and then let it fall apart. That's not like you."

"Listen to me, I really don't know what you are talking about. I didn't even realize I was Lelouch- who I am until recently. Our previous contact means nothing anymore." Lelouch spat, hatred at being reminded of his ignorance held high in his eyes.

"You don't remember. None of it." She said more as statement than a question and she hummed an amused sound as she took a step towards him and he pulled his head back farther until it was against the wall. _What is she doing?_ Kallen questioned as she leaned out from behind her hiding spot too get a better view. "This worked before."

Kallen's mouth dropped open as C.C. leaned into Lelouch and she kissed him passionately on his lips. _THAT BITCH! _Kallen's eyes threatened to spill over with hot, sorrowful and wrathful tears as she witnessed something that was unspeakable to her. Before she could move she saw Lelouch push C.C. away from her before reaching his hand back and slapping the woman. _Lelouch hit C.C.? What the Hell is going on?!_

"How dare you!" Lelouch shouted before bringing his voice back down. "What the hell do you think you're doing? Don't screw with me C.C.!"

C.C. stood looking shocked and her voice quivered slightly as she lost control of her normal placid mien. "It. . . It didn't work?" She fought to pull herself back to her neutral demeanor but it showed in her trembling fingers she was having trouble. "It worked last time. Huh." She sighed and took a step away from him regaining all of her natural state. "Lelouch you are less fun now, then again we use to have a contract together. To think you'd hit a woman."

"I-" Lelouch stiffened and removed himself from the wall and strolled to a few meters out of the alley towards the main street and away from her. "I am. . . Sorry for that but I was on my way to be with my _Girlfriend_ I didn't expect, nor want, someone from my past I don't actually remember to try to kiss me." Kallen wiped her eyes and smiled at how he emphasized girl friend.

"You actually don't remember. It wasn't caused by Geass like last time, perhaps that is why I couldn't bring them back." C.C. hummed as she rubbed her cheek lightly and dropped her hand back down to her side. "Tell me what happened to you Lelouch."

Lelouch shifted into a new relaxed posture and took a deep breath, "It's a very long story. I just don't have the time for it right now. I really need to get to Kallen's place. The longer I am out the more likely I will be discovered." The green haired woman sighed and moved passed him slowly.

"You disappoint me. When you have time we need to talk. We have a plan to complete." She turned to him and smiled a wicked smile on the edge of the light to which Kallen shuttered at. "Next time I call make sure to pick up the phone, I don't care if you and your _girl_ _friend_ are getting promiscuous. Answer when I call."

"Witch!" Lelouch called out in embarrassed fury and stared as she sauntered out of sight down the alley away from him. Kallen took that as a good time to slide away, quickly back-peddling to just outside the alleyway. She stood there back against the wall looking at the vacant street as she warred with her emotions. He really loved her but he also was putting them all in danger because he couldn't wait. _What do I do?_

Lelouch's steps sounded distant as he turned the corner of the alleyway and abruptly halted in front of Kallen. He's eyes looked mortified as he took her in, head down and back against the wall with both arms laced across her chest. "Kallen! I-" He began but Kallen stepped forward and put a finger to his lips silencing him mid protest. She leaned forward and kissed his cheek before turning her back to him.

"I know," Kallen shushed and she started walking "let's get you off the streets." Silent, he followed.

* * *

Lelouch spent only little time in Kallen's apartment before she convinced him they should return to his place at the school. As they walked back to the academy Lelouch thoughts clung to how confusing everything had become. C.C. appearing and. . . _She was seducing me? That witch! She's enjoyed getting into my head before, she's just trying to get a raise out of me. But then again Kallen. She saw it. . . What should I do about this one? _Kallen shortened her strides to end up besides him, he felt that he didn't deserve to be treated so kindly considering how many times he'd upset her today.

She had told him he was being stupid for coming to see her at her place but she didn't press the issue like he thought she would. _She'll bring it up again later, she's ruled by her emotions. . . Not that it is a bad thing. _Though many may find it a fault it is one of the things he liked about her the most. She had a fiery personality that he found he could kindle into a hotter flame. He made her passions burn more brilliantly than any other light in this world. Whether it was in her thrill of combat or her desire of justice, _or me._ He laughed at that last part.

"What's so funny?" Kallen ventured smiling slightly with sadness hidden on her brow. Lelouch noticed it and let his laugh die off before he reached his hand out for her to take his.

"I was just thinking. Been doing that a lot today." Lelouch breathed and Kallen raised an eye brow in a mix of annoyed interest. He rushed on before she could interrupt, "I was just thinking about you and I, and how crazy today's been." It was a mix of a lie and truth but he didn't think she would fault him for it. Pleased with that she laced her fingers into his and their pace slowed as they got closer.

"Yeah, no kidding. It's good to see you smiling again." She admitted as she turned them round a corner and down the street towards the school. The streets were eerily devoid of people after the stores and shops closed down and it called up Lelouch's alarms. _It's late but I think it's too quiet for 10 pm._ Lelouch's frown returned as he warning flags pulled his thoughts to different things that could go wrong.

"Lelouch are you feeling okay? You're worrying me. You've been glum since we got to my place, and then you were happy and now this. What's wrong?" Kallen whispered as she pulled them to a stop. Lelouch sighed and his stifled the desire to tense at a passing taxi cab, his stress slowly melted away as it passed by without slowing.

"Sorry. I have been very absent minded and careless today. It just seemed a little too quiet, I'm," Lelouch paused and squeezed her hand in his, "I'm a bit more cautious now, nervous." He started walking again and he could see that her head was down and her cheeks seemed a bit flushed. He debated whether to ask her about it but decided against it. _She's fiery and proud, I won't force it out of her._ Lelouch lightly squeezed her hand again to tell her it was alright but she still didn't raise her head.

"Lelouch. Thank you." She squeaked, voice barely over a whisper. He turned his head to look at her still gazing down towards the ground.

"What are you talking about? Thanks for what?"

"For pushing C.C. away." Kallen whimpered as she ceased moving.

"Uh." Lelouch stammered turning his head away from hers as he blushed as well.

"I couldn't bare it when she kissed you. I felt so hurt and I felt-" She stopped talking as her hand in his began to tremble.

"Kallen." Lelouch soothed as he halted in front of her and he squeezed her hand comfortingly. His other hand lightly cupped her chin and guided her to face up to his. Her face glowed with embarrassment and thinly veiled pride as he leaned in and kissed her forehead lightly. He shook his head and he could feel his heart racing in a mix of embarrassment and excitement for being this close to her. He heard her take a deep breath before she pulled away to look up at him.

"I was so relieved when you slapped her and told her you were coming to see me. Telling her I was your girlfriend felt, It felt so good." Kallen confessed as she smiled and fought off her watering eyes. Lelouch stood still and watched her slightly conflicted, not knowing whether to tell her how he felt or to hug her and tell her it was okay. She turned back towards the school while removing her hand from his and she continued. "I've been rough on you today" She said wrapping her newly freed arm around his waist and thrust them into movement again. _Rough on me?_ _She still hasn't apologized yet. . . Oh well, this will have to do._

"Don't worry about it, let's just get back to the clubhouse" Lelouch advised to which he received a hum of agreement from the woman wrapped around his middle. They increased their pace as they hurried their way down the block towards the front gates of the Academy. As the thought came into his mind Lelouch blushed but opened his mouth in spite of his embarrassment. He wanted to ask her. "Kallen, will you stay the night with me?"

Kallen tightened her grasp around him and shook her head. "No," she said warmly and slightly reluctant, "But I'll stop by and see you tomorrow before class."

* * *

Kallen awoke that next morning well rested and excited for the day. Sure she had class but after that all she had to do was, well nothing but. . . _It'll just be him and me. _She grabbed her key and draped it over her neck before she smoothed her hair to it's normal feathery standard and trotted out of her room towards the door. "Later mom!" Kallen shouted with an enthusiastic smile while the door swung to a close behind her.

For Kallen, heading into school early never seemed important considering she enjoyed her morning talks with Lelouch, but today she figured arriving an hour early would be a great idea considering her talks with Lelouch now were legitimate conversations. _Plus I am sure he'd like the nice surprise of a beautiful girl coming to see him and give him a good morning ki- Oh my god! What am I thinking!_ A giggle tickled her throat as she turned a corner and she started pushing her legs into a faster pace. Quick deep pulsations of breathes penetrated the rumbling thumps of her feet slamming to the pavement within her ears as she rounded a corner and continued her runner's lope towards the school.

A softly moaning breeze skated over the fields and walkways of the Academy when Kallen slowed to a ginger walk in front of Lelouch's new, but in a way old, home. Exhaling a long satisfied breath, Kallen cautiously inched to the door of his personal dorm and knocked several quick echoing taps. A shadow danced out of sight from inside and Kallen almost didn't notice the presence if it wasn't for the slight movement she saw through the window. "Hey, it's Kallen," she called out in a soft apologetic voice, "I know I'm pretty early but I thought now would be the best time." Silence reclaimed the doorway as she waited for his response. After nearly half a minute Kallen considered knocking again but the loud clack of a dead bolt unlocking pulled a smile to her lips.

"Uh, I wasn't quite dressed when you first knocked," Lelouch explained as he only slightly opened the door and leaned out to rest his violet and blue eyes on her frame, "took me a few seconds. Sorry."

A soft chuckle slipped from Kallen's throat and she coughed it back as she smirked up at him. "Don't worry about it, you mind letting me in?"

"Hmmmmmmm, perhaps. What's in it for me?" Lelouch simpered with a sexily slightly deeper sound to his normal voice and it caused Kallen to shiver slightly. _Bastard, he's being spoiled, I'm gonna have to fix him of that,_ Kallen huffed at her thought and his comment. Giving him a tilted head grin and a soft shifting of her weight to one side, she eyed him from behind the door and she pushed at the knob.

"Come on Lelouch, you don't expect me to have this argument with you out here do you?" Kallen mused in her normal tone, or she tired to sound normal though she was sure her flustered face gave away her embarrassment. _Sure it's a game, he likes games but it's not like I don't enjoy it too. . . _"It's better to keep it a surprise anyway."

Lelouch exhaled a feigned sigh of defeat as he tossed the door open, "Alright, you win Kallen." Kallen's eyes traveled from his pale bare feet to his black slacks, messily opened white button down shirt and then to his satisfied smile. His arms were extended to his sides as he expectantly waited for a hug and Kallen sucked in a deep amused breath. _This is a good way to start my day, _she admitted as she took him in her arms and squeezed him to her tightly.

Closing her eyes, Kallen took a deep breath in of the scent of sweetly fragrant detergent and a wider grin blossomed on her face. "You know, I could get use to this."

"Oh yeah?" She heard him rumble from above her head, "Considering the day we had yesterday this is really nice."

"Yeah. . . Hey Lel-"

A horrified gasp rung out from behind Kallen and she jerked out of Lelouch's arms. Spinning quickly to find out who was behind her Kallen's stomach fell out of her stomach as a tall long silver haired woman shook violently from a few meters away. _Chigusa?!_ "Th- The Demon," the woman whimpered with a terrified shutter, "is Alive!" With her eyes rolling back into her skull and legs giving out, the pregnant woman fainted, falling to the ground with a firm thump...

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**AN: Hello ello. . . This chapter was the chapter from hell! Every time I tried to finish this chapter something would happen and I would unintentionally delete the ending I had just typed. I am actually pretty happy I finally got it done. **

**EiramxD**** and ****Dragonrising**** both found their ways onto our interesting little story and I wanna thank them for deciding to join in. Hello and thanks for following along. I appreciate it, especially today.**

**I hope you guys have been enjoying my story so far. I am gonna take a while to do the next few chapters because I have a bigger project in the works so expect it to take awhile before I get the final chapters done. The trick is I am gonna do the next 2 or 3 chapters then take a break so I won't stop randomly at least until I am done with those two.**

**Enjoy, Stay Classy, Read More. . . The trinity of comment and my motto. . . Until next time!  
Eis**


	13. Us and Them

**Chapters New and Improved  
DISCLAIMER!  
Some Rights and Assembly Required. . . As is the Disclaimer**

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**CHAPTER THIRTEEN:** Us and Them

The soft chittering of a clock drew Kallen's eyes up from her phone as she and Lelouch waited. Shifting uncomfortably, Kallen let loose a long stress filled breath while the clocks hands pointed to the _11 _and to spot a few notches between the _4 _and the _5._ _11:23, _Kallen thought in dreadful guilt, _Ohgi now is not the time to ignore my phone calls. . ._ Kallen's fist clenched tightly against her chair in one of the long white and light gray painted waiting room of the hospital. After Chigusa passed out, Kallen and Lelouch frantically worked out a plan to get her to a hospital and arrive later to explain the situation to Ohgi in the hope that he would not do anything drastic while his wife recovered from the shock of falling while pregnant. "No answer?" Lelouch guessed somberly and Kallen nodded sorrowfully before turning to face him and his disguise.

Kallen's frown deepened as she looked at the brown wig he wore under his pizza hut ball cap. _If anyone looks close enough they will be able to tell he's trying to hide his identity. Thank god no one else is here at the moment. . . _"None. Of all the times for him not to answer too! God, I'm such a fool."

"What are you talking about?" Lelouch's smooth controlled voice coaxed her eyes to his and he wrapped his hand around her tightly strained fist.

"I kept telling Ohgi that I wanted to talk to her and. . . Now look what happened. I've put you in danger and we could possibly have hurt their baby." Kallen cried out as she fought back the swirl of emotions threatening to envelope her. With a soft quick squeeze of her hand, Lelouch hummed and gave her a sad soft smile which eased the tension in her balled fist.

"It will be alright Kallen. We may have to accept the consequences for this but if we talk to Ohgi, he'll understand." Kallen eyes winced at his words and she warmed in a new burst of unfocused anger.

"No he won't, he blamed you for all of the evil that fell over this land and if he sees you had a part in this he might just try to murder you with his own hands," Kallen raged in a hushed rant. "He tried to before."

Lelouch looked to her hand in his before he exhaled a long thought gathering breath. _I can't let him find out about Lelouch, he won't listen. I- _"Kallen, it's time he knew the truth. I lied to him all during the war, it's time I exorcised my demons of the past. Plus," Lelouch chuckled as he looked to all the empty chairs throughout the sterile waiting room, "if we can convince him I'm not a threat we'll have another powerful ally who can keep us together and protected."

A short amused grunt shot off from Kallen as she rolled her eyes and tried not to smile. "Okay," she simpered while pulling her smile down to a slight smirk, "that may be true but let me do most of the talking. His my best friend, he won't even listen to a single word you say."

"Hey I. . ." Lelouch started affronted but a deep laugh started rumbling up from his center as he gave up on the argument. "Yeah, okay. It's about time I listen to you on something."

"Bastard. . ."

"Hehe, I am sure I use to get called that all the time."

* * *

A few hours pasted and the early evening sun coated the buildings in a golden amber glow. A few people came into the waiting room before leaving just as silently as they came. The silence wore on Kallen as she struggled not to worry any more at the fact Ohgi hadn't called her back that she had before but it still ate at her. _He should be here, she needs him here. . . _Thinking about the importance of having someone you love near by when you are in trouble, Kallen glanced over at Lelouch's sleeping form, his face hidden beneath the black and red logo-ed hat. A small smile grew on her lips but it only stood for a second before her depressed frown reclaimed her face. "Hey Luke. . ." Kallen mumbled as the only other person in the room rose and exited at a slow solemn canter.

"Uh huh?" He hummed in soft response while he rose his head slightly to check if anyone watched them.

"Coast is clear." Kallen mouthed as she stood up and pulled her long limbs into a painfully pleasing stretch. Upon hearing an appreciative groan from Lelouch she quickly turned to him and shot him an wrathful glare to which he threw up his hands in surrender.

"Sorry," he said behind an amused and poorly withheld chuckle, "I just thought your legs look good when you do that."

"Shut up," Kallen growled in a fiery sneer and she started walking away from him. _I seriously need to stop messing with her, _Lelouch noted quietly to himself as she started pacing around the waiting room in obvious distress. _Little jokes won't help right now, she's really worried. _His eyes followed her path until she abruptly stopped in front of a softly humming television and his eye brows furrowed. "Hey Luke! Come here!" Kallen shouted in a bewildered stupor which summoned up even more read flags for the weary fugitive.

"Hmmmm?" Lelouch groaned as he slowly eased himself out of his seat and he stumbled his way to her side. On the television sat a young blonde woman behind a desk and a caption at the bottom of the screen claiming a Japanese man attacked the Britannian Queen's personal guard at his home in Hokkaido. "Wha- Shit. . ."

"Milly is reporting on the story and there is only one person they could be talking about. . ." Kallen interjected as she frowned up at the screen. With a quick flicker of changing film, the screen switched to a video of Lucire standing on his porch and a Britannian guard heading for his door in a quick walking pace. With a quick spurt of motion Lucire slammed his palm into the guard's neck, he spun around him, stripping him of his weapons and then he threw a fist into the side of the man's gut before kicked his legs out from under him, knocking out the guard in only a fraction of the time Kallen thought it she would take her. "Holy shit!"

"This footage was taken earlier today by local news crews as Empress Nunnally vi Britannia visited the Lelouch Lookalike in Hokkaido. Charges were not pressed and the empress was not threatened nor harmed but many say this has left a bad taste in mouths of Britannians and Japanese alike." Milly announced as the clip drew to an end with Lucire taking a step away from the downed soldier and him claiming his place adamantly in front of his door.

The screen returned to Milly, who's neutral mien slightly faltered and a frown shimmered over her lips for a second before she continued on with the next story. "Damn it Lucire, this is not what we need right now," Lelouch grumbled sourly, his hand dancing around in his pocket. Kallen's brow creased in concern as Lelouch snatched up his phone and he started dialing Lucire's number.

_RING-RING, RING-RING, R-Clack_ "Hey, Luke. I-"

"Lucire. I just saw the news," Lelouch interrupted in accusation before Lucire could finish his thought. "What do you think you are doing?!"

"Hmph, damn camera crews," growled Lucire as he closed something with a loud crash on the other side of the receiver. "They take pride in making me look like a crazy bastard."

"Hmmm?" Lelouch mouthed with a truly curious confusion, "what happened?"

"Grab a seat and I'll explain it. It might take a while."

* * *

_I was waiting for Nunnally on the porch and when she arrived I stood ready to send her away. . ._

"Pardon me but this is private property," Lucire growled in his stubborn standard greeting to anyone who approached other than Luke, Daisuke and Rika. A series of five guards armed with ceremonial sabers and small caliber pistols filed out of a long black limo before Zero, savoir of freed Japan, exited the vehicle carting the handicapped princess with him. "I am gonna ask that you leave now."

Zero glared at Lucire from behind his mask while he rolled the tiny princess to within eight meters of the man. "Pardon me for showing up unannounced," called the empress in a smooth sweet voice, "I am Nunnally vi Britannia. I know this seems like an odd request for a Queen to make but would it be alright if I came in and spoke with you and your friend?"

"No ma'am. It is my responsibility to protect him and I do not trust any one with the name _vi_ _Britannia_." Lucire shot back, his eyes tightening in an old anger.

Nunnally frowned sorrowfully as she looked upon the tall plainly dressed Lucire that stood between her and seeing her brother's face one last time. Zero exhaled a furious breath from behind his charge and an officer, the leader of the honor guard from the look on his regalia, shouted at the man in front of his monarch. "How dare you address her majesty in such a fashion! She came all this way to visit you respectfully!"

Lucire frowned as a previously peaceful TV truck began to rumble and shake in excitement. "I do not bow to any one who believes themselves superior because of some backwashed title such as _Your MAJ-esty_. Britannians were foolish enough to believe themselves better than the rest of the world because they were born in a powerful nation and Royalty hold that they are even more superior than them. It is sickening to see such disregard for human respect and such unwarranted narcissism."

"That is it. I can not allow you to address her majesty in such a manner! If she wants to see your lookalike friend she will! Jacobs, bring him out here." Ordered the officer and Nunnally turned her gaze to the uniformed man named Jacobs who was starting for the door.

"Stop this," the frail empress exclaimed but Jacobs did not heed her orders. Instead he bounced up the stairs of the porch towards the door.

"She told you to stop. . ." explained the steadfast Lucire in a seething clamor. Giving a grunt of dismissal the guard strolled closer and Lucire unleashed a flurry of blows and techniques that left the man stunned, disarmed and on his back unable to breath. "You should have listened, now you have two cracked ribs and a bruised trachea." Calmly Lucire strolled to the door and he glared at the TV Crew shouting their broadcast from the top of the hilly road. "Now, please leave, I do not wish to cause any further incidents."

"Commander. . ." Nunnally said in a firm strict tone and the man stiffened to his full height to attention, "Collect your man, I will speak with you at a later time, please return your men to the car."

"Your Highness, it would be inadvisable to be in the open without a detail for guards," offered the disgraced officer in a weak advisement.

"I do not care, you are dismissed," Nunnally informed the man and she turned her attention back to Lucire once more. The soft hum of her motorized chair pushed forward as another guard, named Masters apparently if his name tag was correct, pulled the downed man back to the vehicle with a cautious glare. "I would like to apologize Mr. Lucire. I have come and I've been a terrible guest, please forgive me."

Lucire rose an eyebrow at her pleading tone but he said nothing, opting instead to take a few steps forward to his new position at the top of his porch stairs. Zero quickly covered the distance between him and his friend's sister as he slid to a halt behind her, his protective instincts the force throwing him forward.

"I know I have no right to have asked to see him but. . . I loved my brother," Nunnally explained in a soft whisper now that she resided at the bottom of the stairs. "He was a wonderful brother and he did so much to make me happy while we still lived together. He left before I could say a proper goodbye and, I know your Luke is not my brother, but it would have meant a lot to me to have seen his face one last time. In person. . ." Her head sunk as she fought back tears she thought she'd buried long ago. The sounds of feet thumping on wood caught her attention but she did not look up to see Lucire's gaze. She felt ashamed she didn't listen to Zero's advice against coming here, she felt that she had ruined a trip to her old home and now she felt that he was looking down on her with a new disgust.

"I know. . ." Lucire whispered to her and the words pulled Nunnally's blurry violet eyed vision up to see him kneeling before her, his green eyes soft in an understanding pain. "Brothers are wonderful gifts given to us younger brothers and sisters. I know how it feels to not get to say goodbye properly. I don't fault you for wanting to see his face one more time but my Luke is not your Lelouch," Lucire soothed in a sweet tone she recognized as the same kind of tone Lelouch would give her when she was feeling down. "Seeing my friend won't cure that ache," he continued as he softly placed his hand on her cheek and guided her eyes fully to his, "but that doesn't mean you have to bare that pain alone. There are so many around you who love you deeply, truly and your brother loved you that way too, I'm sure of it. Don't listen to what others had to say about your brother just remember all the wonderful things he did for you in those times you and he had together and no one will ever be able to take him away from you."

Nunnally's eyes spilled with welling tears as his words seeped into her and she wondered how this man's sweet suggestions soothed her heart. "I-I, I loved him so much," she warbled shakily and he started wiping tears away from her eyes with a soft sad smile.

"I know. . . Nunnally, be strong and don't let your brother see you cry for him anymore. He's still here with you. . ." Lucire breathed before he rose and smiled down at her from his full height. "You know," he sighed as he waited for her to look up at him again, "you are nothing like I expected. A member of the royal family with a soul. . . Who'd have figured?"

A small series of laughs rung from the tiny weeping empress and her face brightened again. "I will take that as a compliment I suppose. I actually feel better," Nunnally cooed, her voice still slightly shaky. "I needed to hear that. Mr. Lucire, I would like to apologize again for doing this to you and Luke. I guess this trip was worth the time."

"I am glad but could you do me a favor?" Lucire asked, his voice and face returning to a neutral mien.

"Oh? Of course."

"One, tell the authorities that we haven't done anything wrong. I have to deal with the media so much already that I can't sleep at night anymore. And two," Lucire begun with a soft chuckle that cut away his tough stoic persona, "please don't come back to Hokkaido or else my neighbors will think I hate Britannians. I'm tryin' ta turn over a new leaf here."

A snicker wiggled out of Nunnally's mouth as she nodded and gazed up at the kind man. "I promise," she said firmly while extending her pinky to him.

Laughing quietly, Lucire shook his head back and forth good naturedly and he took her pinky up in his. . .

_I think I did both her and us a favor and I got a series of people off of our backs. . . but she wasn't what I expected at all. . ._

* * *

A burst of static muffled Lucire's next word and Lelouch frowned from his seat inside the hospital. "You were hitting on my sister?"

"Hitting on? No, no. . . Well, one," Lucire started with a righteous tone to his voice, "I didn't think you considered her your sister anymore and two I was just trying to tell her what she needed to hear."

_Bastard. ._ . Both Lelouch and Kallen thought silently while trying not to fume."Fine. Hey Lucire, we ran into a few problems on our side. Where are you right now?" Another burst of static cut into the speaker and Lucire's muffled curse sifted through the poor reception.

"I'm at the train station waiting to get a ride back to your side of things. What did you do?" Lucire groaned in mild annoyance.

"Chigusa saw Kallen and me together and she fainted. We put her into the hospital and now we're waiting to confront Ohgi." Lelouch explained and Lucire started growling an odd sounding language Lelouch was unfamiliar with.

"Dah! Who the hell is Chigusa and what does she have to do with Ohgi?!" growled Lucire in a panicked tone and Kallen snatched the phone from Lelouch.

"Chigusa is Villetta's taken Japanese name. She's pregnant and she hit the ground pretty hard. I figured it'd be better if we confronted Ohgi before she gets a chance to tell him how she came to be in the hospital. 'Lelouch is alive and when I saw him I possible endangered our child's life', how do you think he'd respond to that?!"

"Extremely poorly," Lucire answers in a new slowly spoken calm. "Which hospital are you at?"

Kallen eyebrows relaxed slightly as she looked at the empty waiting room again in a quick inspection. "Central Shibuya Hospital. It's quiet right now but I don't know how long it's safe to be out."

"Understood, I'm on my way. Give the phone back to Luke."

"Yeah, okay. . ." Kallen sighed softly as she handed the phone back to Lelouch and she waited for him to finish talking to the mysterious Lucire. _How the hell did he take that guy out that quickly? Where did he learn to fight like that? _Kallen wondered as her boyfriend gave the phone quick series of yes and no answers from time to time. _I mean it's almost li- BZZZZT-BZZZZT!_

Kallen jumped in shocked surprise as her phone started vibrating violently, jarring her mind while in mid thought. "Hello Ohgi?!" Kallen shouted into the phone and Lelouch stiffened from a few meters away.

"Uhhhh, Yeah. Hey there Kallen, sorry I missed your call earlier. I was clearing things up with the Authorities and Empress Nunnally after this afternoon's TV fiasco." Ohgi explained with a soft yawn of exhaustion. "What's going on?"

"It's Chigusa. She fainted and hit the ground pretty hard." Kallen rushed and her heart sunk as Ohgi gave a horrified choking sound from his side of the connection.

"What? Is she alright?! What about the baby?!" Ohgi cried out as he struggled to keep from hyperventilating.

"We need you here, we have a lot we need to talk about. She's alright for now but we're at the Central Shibuya Hospital, please hurry..."

"Okay I'm coming!" _Click. . ._

Kallen took in a deep breath and exhaled as Lelouch came up besides her, frowning. "You ready to tell him about us?"

"Yeah. . ." Kallen mouthed as she laced her hand within his and she looked up at the television again to see Milly giving her sign off.

_I mean, What else could go wrong today._

* * *

**AN: Hello ello, ello! This is the first chapter I have written for this story in a long time and I had a pretty good time putting it together. This is gonna be one of the last few chapter I will put out before I go on break so I hope you enjoy these last few scenes. I wanna assure you all of something though, Lucire is not going to be in any sort of relationship with Nunnally. I am not a fan of pairing OC's with canon characters so that won't be happening but I knew I wanted that scene in there. A side note for you guys who are curious about Lucire, he was speaking in German with a northern German accent, to those who don't know what German sounds like it can be a bit confusing. (it's not the guttural version Hollywood uses to sound violent. Aka real German not the German as portrayed in movies so yeah. . . Hooray for back story)**

**I get through all Twelve of my original chapter then tons of people follow and favor my story, funny huh? Either way I wanna give a series of shout outs to my new fans of this story. So Dhn777, The Immortal Siegfried, StocasticNinja101, FaeFreak14, and Hayden-Strife, I want to thank you guys for following along.**

**Classiness remains as does Good Stories, so Keep Reading the Good ones and Stay Eternally Classy.  
Eis**


	14. The Dazed and Confused

**Chapters New and Improved  
DISCLAIMER!  
Some Rights and Assembly Required. . . As is the Disclaimer**

* * *

**CHAPTER FOURTEEN****:** The Dazed and Confused

Lucire's tall deceptively lanky form passed the threshold into Chigusa's hospital room with a firm frown. To anyone else who had looked upon him they would have seen him as a frustrated husband trying to swallow some grave prognosis; however, Lelouch automatically knew his mood spawned from his friend's knack for summoning catastrophes. Kallen sat silently in a melancholy mood as the man strolled in and gave her a softer apologetic frown. Lelouch turned from watching them both to looking back to the muffled light glowing through the closed white window curtains. "So, how is her condition?" Lucire whispered as he slipped silently to Villetta's side.

"She stable, they were afraid the fall might push her into labor or cause the baby to be. . ." Kallen's voice quavered as her stomach gave a wrenching pain. Lelouch turned from his absent gaze, sorrow and regret twined together in his blue and violet eyes. _I have to be with Kallen, this is killing her. . . _A soft exhalation brought Kallen's eyes up to Lelouch and her lips clinched tightly together in a deep frown.

"Kallen it's alright," Lelouch breathed tenderly while he walked to her side. A small smile came over his lips as he dropped to a knee by her side and he gazed longingly into her beautiful steely blue eyes. "She'll be just fine. She and her child."

A coughing laugh rose from Lucire out of the silence born from the comment and both Kallen and Lelouch gave him a venomous glare. Though they both wanted to scream, it was Kallen who struck out at him with a hushed but no less vicious growl. "How is that funny!"

"He is saying something we all know. Luke, she's only slightly upset about Villetta's condition. She's more worried about how Ohgi will respond to this whole situation with YOU here." Lucire simpered in a calm almost mocking tone as he circled the bed with the unconscious mother to be before he claimed Lelouch's old spot. "You know-"

"You know what?" Lelouch shot back, his eyes still on Kallen's and her smile drooped slightly in apology. _He was right? I hate when he does that._ Lucire's eyes scanned the room with mild interest before he set his gaze out into the glowing twilight light eking from the window.

"For someone who hid from the Britannian Empire for as long as you did before, you are doing a rather poor job of hiding this time around."

An annoyed frown hardened onto Lelouch's face as he struggled not to curse. "Back then it was a nation not the whole world. Not everyone knew my face back then. . . Not that I can particularly remember how I got away with it last time anyway." His response drifted from him in a low and controlled voice but it dripped with a cruel disconnection that caused both Kallen and Lucire to flinch slightly.

"I am sorry Luke. I didn't mean for it to strike a nerve, I tend to be a little dry humored when I am uncomfortable," Lucire apologized from behind a truly regretful frown and Lelouch's face softened in guilt.

"No it's alright. We're all worried."

Lucire turned to see Kallen's eyes creased with a well warranted concern and his voice rumbled quietly in indecision, "Ummmmmmm. . . How about I go get us coffee. I'll be right back."

Kallen's eye brows rose and a faint appreciative smile touched her face as he gave her a quick wink. _Coffee Sure. . . why not? That should help everything, _Kallen thought sarcastically as he slipped past the door and quietly slid it closed, _At least he knows how to clear a room. . . Wait, was he winking for me or for Lel. . . Cleaver bastard. _"Thank you," Kallen called to him sincerely though she knew he couldn't hear her.

"You think he left to give us some alone time?" Lelouch whispered, his hand slipped up her leg to her hands before squeezing them with a romantic tender strength.

"Of course. . . Listen, Lelouch. . . He was right. I'm more worried about you right now. I L-" Chigusa groaned softly and Kallen's eyes shot to the resting woman, her eyes wide in startled surprise. "Let's be quiet for a while, if she woke up now."

"Yeah it would be bad. . ." Lelouch agreed in a hushed exhale and he pulled to her to her side, his back against the wall. "Kallen. . ."

"Hmmmm?"

"What were you about to say?"

"Uh!" Kallen hiccuped, her face flaming in sudden embarrassment, "Nothing!"

"Hehe," Lelouch chuckled softly as his lips crooked up in a smile, "I love you too Kallen."

Red faced and silent, Kallen looked away. Both smiled while the ticking of medical equipment lulled Villetta back to sleep. . .

* * *

For nearly twenty minutes Kallen and Lelouch talked quietly of their past time together, concerns with waiting for Ohgi and how Lucire probably left the hospital to get better coffee because Lelouch knew the coffee machine waited down the hallways, only five minutes trip away. Though Lelouch knew he should feel more uncomfortable, he remained relaxed at Kallen's side even with the threat of being exposed still a real possibility. Nervous, hurried and loud clacking steps echoed off the walls of the long hallway outside and a shiver rolled down Kallen's spine. Squeezing her hand to tell it all would be alright, Lelouch closed his eyes and took in a deep quiet breath. . .

"Kallen, is Chigusa alright?" Ohgi nearly shouted as he turned into the room. It took him another second before he's eyes landed and Lelouch and a gagging sputter sound stuck in Ohgi's throat as he rocked to a spine jarring halt. "L-" Ohgi started to scream but the sound of the door shutting and a hand wrapping around his mouth pulled short the exclamation; it also pulled a gasp from Kallen and a hiss from Lelouch as Lucire silenced Ohgi's outburst.

"Calm down Prime Minister. . . I am going to let you go now, please do not scream," The mysterious immortal breathed calmly to the man before him and Ohgi breathed loud frantic breaths but he swallowed and nodded once. "I apologize, I didn't want to wake Madame Chigusa with you screaming that man's name."

Ohgi swallowed back a growl as Lucire released him and Kallen started up a hushed series of growls in the man's stead. "What the hell was THAT for! You disappear for only god knows how long then you show up to grab my best friend like that! What's wrong with you?!" Ohgi's eyes tightened in a confused anger but he bit back a rude comment as he waited to be, as he was sure, blackmailed by Lelouch and his lackeys once more.

"I already apologized for that Kallen, I just wanted him to hear us out before he tried to sell you and Luke down the river." Lucire answered in a softer but slightly more annoyed voice and Ohgi scoffed.

"Luke! Don't lie, that is the demon. I will remember Lelouch til the day I die." Ohgi sneered, his voice taking a foul and cruel tone as he shot Lelouch a glare of undisguised distaste and then Kallen a glare of disappointment and concern. "Why the Fuck is he still alive?!"

Lelouch hung his head low as he waited for a proper time to speak. He had planned out this conversation in great detail in his mind and much of it was going how he had predicted. . . Except for the part where Lucire nearly gagged Ohgi but all plans need to have room for improvisation. Kallen sighed a long breath as she turned her eyes away from her old friends. "Allow me to try to make a little more sense out of this," Lucire started but Ohgi scowled at him before he could go any farther.

"I am talking to Kallen! I don't give a shit about what you have to say." Ohgi snapped and Lucire exhaled an annoyed breath.

"Ohgi, Listen. . . This is really important. What you think happened with Lelouch is not true," Kallen murmured in shame as she struggled to summon up her normal fiery confidence. Her lack of strength came partly from her failure to keep this from happening, just as some of it came from her despair that she let Lelouch slip from her once before.

"How?" Ohgi whispered firmly, his eyes shifting from Kallen to Lelouch then to Chigusa and back.

"Once again let me try to answer that, I am mostly to blame for his resurgence," Lucire called from behind Ohgi and the Japanese man turned to face him as he slipped to where he could be seen by all three of the other people in the conversation. Ohgi eyed him, shoulders growing rigid while he waited for further explanation. Withdrawing a black book from the back of his jeans, Lucire handed the chronicled memoir of Zero and Lelouch to Ohgi with a reverent expression held on his face. "Within this explains how Lelouch decided to be the enemy of the world in order to save it. I can explain how he is still alive but everything inside this journal will explain the actions he took during the black rebellion up through his murder. He planned his own death at the hand of his former knight and persona."

"Zero is Kurur-"

"Yes," Kallen answered softly her eyes still down but she pulled her head up to show him how serious she was. "I knew Lelouch planned out his own murder when I saw Zero on the parade route. He. . ." Kallen's voice strengthened as she gazed straight into Ohgi's eyes, unafraid, "He was always one for the dramatic."

Lelouch coughed in surprise and Ohgi looked to him in mild disbelief but Lelouch refused to look up. "In that book you'll find out the truth. How the event with Euphemia was a horrible mistake, how he sold himself out to protect Kallen and the Japanese. How he regretted many decision and mourned for fallen friends and comrades." Lucire ensured and he smiled weakly to Ohgi before he added, "As for why he is alive that is my fault. You should sit, it will be a long story."

Ohgi remained standing as Lucire shook his head and retrieved two chairs, sitting in one even if Ohgi would not. "No thank you. . ." The tall Japanese man answered, taking off his suit coat and draping it over the back of the chair offered to him. Lelouch shifted his weight slightly, a knot forming in his stomach and Ohgi growled quietly at him, "GET AWAY from her." Lelouch winced and he swiftly slide away from both Kallen and Villetta since he did not know to which Ohgi was referring. Kallen walked to Lelouch and took his hand in hers, a sign of unwavering support.

"Ohgi," Lucire breathed and his audience turned his attention back to the immortal man. "Lelouch did die from his wounds on that day, many months ago. I have been alive for nearly the last two hundred years; in order to keep sane through that passage of time, and to keep informed in the current state of affairs, I have found companions to teach me and keep me company." Ohgi's face swirled in distress as he realized Lucire believed what he was saying, and the thought that he could be telling the truth crossed his mind. "I decided to take Lelouch as my newest charge when I saw him stabbed by his self imposed idol. I arrived later than I anticipated I would be able to and he had actually died from his wounds." Lucire sighed and looked to Chigusa before continuing, "In order to revive him, I gave him the gift the keeps me immortal. The drug does alter one's body some and in order to keep him alive a blood transfusion was necessary."

"What does this have to do with him being here now?" Ohgi whispered, his eyes down and his mind working frantically to make sense of the story he had just heard.

"I am getting to that," Lucire groaned, slightly annoyed he was interrupted but his voice returned to a calm and soothing tone as he continued. "He doesn't remember being Lelouch."

Ohgi's eyes shot up to Lelouch's and his jaw twitched before dropping open. Finally looking up to the man, Lelouch met eyes with him sorrowfully and nodded gently, his blue eyes catching the light just right to bring a gasp from Ohgi. "He-"

"His brain was without oxygen for too long and thus his memories are almost all gone. He is a normal now too, his powers of geass are gone as well." Lucire assured him and Ohgi turned his eyes back to Lucire, mouth closing with a gulp. "The men up in Hokkaido, that was us."

Ohgi's eyes widened in realization as the familiarity with the face of Lucire finally clicked, "YOU!" Lucire winced at the shout and Chigusa stirred slightly with a groan of exhaustion. "Oh, lord." Ohgi picked up the chair and brought it to his expecting wife's side as he lowered his voice and he took a seat next to her sleeping form.

"Lelouch did not know he was the dreaded 'Demon' until just recently, I left him in the dark on purpose. Once I realized he orchestrated his own murder for the good of the world I knew this was the kind of person who deserved a better life. A life of peace and happiness. . . It is by some odd coincidence, of all the things he could have remembered, the one he did was Kallen." Lucire sighed softly and Ohgi turned slowly to see Kallen and Lelouch looking at him, hands intertwined romantically.

"And. . . you brought him here to be with her?" Ohgi murmured, his eyes still filled with thinly veiled disgust and disapproval.

"I. . ." Lelouch said and he took in a deep breath, knowing now was the time to speak, "I knew she meant more to me than anything else and that was all that mattered."

The skin around Ohgi's eyes tightened as he saw Kallen blush and close her eyes, "Ohgi. . . I knew Lelouch was Zero during most of the war," Kallen admitted to her life long friend. "You were always worried about me trusting Zero but I knew him personally, I knew he was more than he had to be in front of everyone else. On the Ikaruga, when you were going to shot him he lied to get me to leave his side. He told me that. . ." Kallen grew silent as she closed her eyes and recalled that moment but it did not last as Lelouch squeezed her hand and she returned to reality. "He told me that I needed to live on, no matter what."

A soft sound of realization eked out of Ohgi's throat as he started to see the truth, and he hated it. "I. . . I can't believe that. This is impossible."

Lucire smiled as he saw Ohgi's hatred and disbelief slipping away and he came up to the man's side. "You don't think it is impossible, it is truth. We can not come out to the world, they wouldn't listen or understand."

"Why come to me?" Ohgi murmured, his eyes resting on his wife's face. "I hated him, still do. Why just me?"

"A person, one person, can be smart and listen but people as a whole can be stupid, panicky, can be manipulated to violence and you know it." Lucire exhaled softly and waited for Ohgi to comment. He didn't. Nodding softly Lucire continued, "You say it's impossible. A year ago everyone _knew_ Zero stood for justice and a free world, nine months ago everyone _knew_ Lelouch was an insane dictator who wanted to rule the world, yesterday you _knew_ Lelouch was dead. . . a few moments ago you _knew_ Lelouch did everything he did for himself. Imagine what you'll know tomorrow."

Ohgi blew out a breath as his wall of reasons to hate Lelouch crumbled to nothing, the anger remained but in his surprise and disbelief he could say nothing. "Ohgi, are you gonna be alright? I am so sorry we got you involved," Kallen apologized while releasing Lelouch's hand and coming to her friend's side. "Chigusa came to see me and she saw us together. I couldn't lie to you about us after this."

"How is she?" he asked, his concern vivid in the tone of his quaking voice.

"Stable, the child is doing alright but they say she shouldn't be moved, her or the baby, and that it's better to be cautious. Chigusa is okay overall but the shock of all _this_ mixed with dehydration and the impact trauma of fainting caused her to be extremely exhausted." Kallen confirmed, her hand on his shoulder as he leaned forward and took his resting wife's hand. "Ohgi, are you going to keep Lelouch's existence a secret?"

"I. . . I don't know. Will he stay out of trouble and keep you safe?" Ohgi asked, his voice strained with a mix of unhappy and nervous emotions and Kallen nodded.

"He will. . ." Kallen promised and Lelouch took in a deep breath as he tried to calculate the odds Ohgi would accept the case they had presented to him.

Adding a soft hum of a response, Lucire offered, "I'll make sure of it. I will do everything in my power to ensure they will remain safe." Ohgi nodded and turned his head to the mysterious man.

"You and I will have to talk, I have a lot of questions." Ohgi sighed and Lucire nodded his agreement.

"I'm sure you do. Kallen, Luke, you guys should get out of her before Madame Villetta wakes up." Lucire advised and Ohgi snorted at the choice of words. Kallen nodded and took up Lelouch's hand as she moved away from Ohgi and Chigusa with a soft smile only Lelouch could see.

"Okay guys. We're gonna go back to my house, Ohgi call me when she wakes up okay?" Kallen called as she made her way to the door and Lelouch slipped his hat back onto his head. sliding his chair to the left of Ohgi, Lucire sat down next to the foot of the bed and both men nodded softly. Slipping out and door, Lelouch and Kallen both exhale a sigh of relief and smile to each other. "Let's go."

Just as they leave they hear Ohgi murmur, "It's Chigusa now."

"I know, just my nature. . . Apologies."

* * *

Some time later Kallen's phone buzzed from the desk in her room and she bounced off her bed where she was sitting next to Lelouch. Lelouch waited patiently with a cup of warm brewed tea in his hand. It was not sleepy time tea this time around and he laughed as he thought about sleeping next to Kallen again. Picking up the phone with a raised eyebrow, Kallen slid it open with a flip of her thumb and she sighed solemnly. "You get a text message?" Lelouch guessed knowingly as Kallen closed the phone again and she turned to look down at him.

"Yeah, it was from Lucire. He says we don't have anything to worry about with Chigusa but to stay out of sight until he comes to see us again." Kallen explained, a frown held on her lips.

"What's wrong?" Lelouch breathed and Kallen shook her head, unable to tell him.

"Lucire will tell us about it later. Let's just try to enjoy the fact we got out of this jam." Kallen beamed to him, the false confidence easing his mind and bring a smile to his lips.

**_MEANWHILE!_**

Lucire stood silently with a soft smile on his lips as a green haired immortal woman stared at him, expressionless, from across the empty hospital hallways. _Finally, we meet at last. . . Madame C.C. _

* * *

**AN: Hello everyone! Eis here, thanking you guys for following along! **

**I know this chapter has been a long time in the making and I apologize about that. I wrote about half of this chapter two days after my last post and then I was snagged away to help some of my writing buddies with their projects. I helped a friend with his story for a few days in a row and it took up all of my time and creative juices, then outta no where another buddy of mine restarted his account and he asked me to look over and edit his stories so I was away for much longer than I meant to be. Sorry guys.**

**I think this is gonna be my final chapter before I go off and do my own thing for a while. I have been really looking forward to sitting down and writing this novel I've had planned out and I know if I don't start now I won't be done with it until well after the summer is over. I will return to this story after I am done but that may take a while, so if you don't feel like waiting I don't mind telling you what is gonna happen in this story. There are two versions, what I was going to writing and what I originally saw this story was gonna be in my head so you can PM me or Review and ask me to message you if you are interested in knowing. Thanks guys for your constant support and patronage! To the newest readers to join this little group I wanted to give you guys the recognition I give to all my fans (and I wanna apologize you won't have an update for a while). . . ****Scarlet Shad0w****, ****Psyshot0385****, ****Falconrukichi****, ****Blackday23****, ****Ezio4003****, ****Indie07****, ****XxDarknezzXx**** and my main man MINGAN, aka ****MinganIsABeast****.  
(Mingan inadvertently helped make me the writer I am today. Thanks bud.) **

**I may be gone but there are other great stories!**

**Remember to Keep Reading the Good ones and Smile. Your classy Writing Friend,  
EisKrahe**


	15. (Update on Story)

Hello Everyone, Eis here!

Sorry for making you all wait over the summer for me to start up my stories again. I sadly didn't get as much work done as I was hoping for due to my working with a few of my other writing friends on their stories more than my own. I feel bad about that but the trick is the school year has started back up and I plan on returning to working hard on these stories for you!

I am going to be doing a new series of short chapters for my Curious Series I am going to call **_Curiously Enough_**. The Tao x Ragna silliness will continue but it will be shorter chapters and a little more silly and cute rather than heavily romantic and crazy. I wanna say it is gonna be 500 to 1000 words a chapter but knowing me it probably will be more than that per chapter. Hopefully I'll get a chapter out every night if not every other night so watch out for it!

As for my Code Geass story **_Exorcising Demons_**, I do plan on continuing that story til it's conclusion. Thanks for the patience on that one and I do have a question for you readers who are following it. . . I have two different ending I had planned for that story and I have never been sure which I really wanted to use. I had my original vision of this story but it is kinda where my mind goes with things; it is not as dark and it, for the most part, has a happy ending til the prologue. The other ending, which is the one I think everyone will like more (because it is wonderfully painful and yet romantically empowering), that is a little more to the story and would take a little less time to finish. PM me if you wanna throw in your thoughts. I'd love to hear them. . .

Thanks everyone! I wanna welcome you back to the school year with a few chapters so keep your eyes open.

**Enjoy the new chapters & Stay Classy!**  
**EisKrahe**


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